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T* ( SUELETTE DREYFUS JULIAN ASSANGE) Tj
T* ( _ _ _ _ ____ _____ ____ ____ ____ ___ _ _ _ _ ____) Tj
T* ( | | | | \\ | | _ \\| ____| _ \\ / ___| _ \\ / _ \\| | | | \\ | | _ \\) Tj
T* ( | | | | \\| | | | | _| | |_\) | | _| |_\) | | | | | | | \\| | | | |) Tj
T* ( | |_| | |\\ | |_| | |___| _ >
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T* () Tj
T* ( ___________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( READER AND CRITICAL ACCLAIM) Tj
T* ( ___________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( `...I hold your book `I have never before read a) Tj
T* ( responsible for destroying my book this good, literally!') Tj
T* ( social life for the last two -- benwebb@hotmail.com) Tj
T* ( days...I bought it Friday) Tj
T* ( afternoon, and then finished `I just finished the book..) Tj
T* ( it at lunchtime today! and thoroughly enjoyed it.) Tj
T* ( \(Sunday\) *grin*. Excellent Dreyfus showed an amazing) Tj
T* ( reading!' -- bam@iinet.net.au insight into the world of) Tj
T* ( electronic exploration. I am) Tj
T* ( `A few pages into this book I sure it was in no small part) Tj
T* ( found it to be different to due to [the researcher's]) Tj
T* ( any other book I have ever excellent technical) Tj
T* ( read on the subject. Dreyfus assistance. Good Job!!' --) Tj
T* ( treats the people she writes jimgeuin@cyberservices.com) Tj
T* ( about AS PEOPLE not just) Tj
T* ( "computer junkies" or "cyber `I loved the book - couldn't) Tj
T* ( geeks"' -- lucasb@sub.net.au put it down!' --) Tj
T* ( texasdeluxe@hotmail.com) Tj
T* ( `A real pleasure' -- George) Tj
T* ( Smith, Crypt News `I wanted to say how much I) Tj
T* ( liked your book Underground') Tj
T* ( `A tale of madness, paranoia -- Prof. Dorothy Denning) Tj
T* ( and brilliance among) Tj
T* ( Australian computer hackers - `I was blown away' --) Tj
T* ( and how they nearly brought lucasb@sub.net.au) Tj
T* ( NASA undone' -- The Weekend) Tj
T* ( Australian Magazine `I'm grateful to Ms Dreyfus) Tj
T* ( for introducing me to a) Tj
T* ( `Adventure book for the brain' number of first-rate) Tj
T* ( -- Sarah McDonald, JJJ subversives' -- Phillip) Tj
T* ( Adams, Late Night Live) Tj
T* ( `After reading the extract of) Tj
T* ( Underground in The Age I `Joy knew no bounds' --) Tj
T* ( couldn't wait to read it. Phillip Adams, Late Night) Tj
T* ( Finally it came out in the Live) Tj
T* ( shops and I finished it all) Tj
T* ( within a few days. I wasn't `Just thought that I would) Tj
T* ( disappointed for a second.' -- say great job on your book) Tj
T* ( dcw@alphalink.com.au very nice piece of work and) Tj
T* ( very informative!' --) Tj
T* ( `Amazing insight' -- Anonymous hacker) Tj
T* ( jimgeuin@cyberservices.com) Tj
T* ( `Keeps the reader glued to) Tj
T* ( `Backed up by..detailed the page' -- Danny Yee, Danny) Tj
T* ( technical research' -- Trudie Yee's review of books) Tj
T* ( MacIntosh, The Australian) Tj
T* ( `La descripcion de las) Tj
T* ( `Best hacker book I've read' detenciones, registros) Tj
T* ( -- Jim Lippard yprocesos legales es) Tj
T* ( especialmente interesante' --) Tj
T* ( `Brillant read - will rest Cripto, Spain) Tj
T* ( safely next the rest of my) Tj
T* ( Gibson, Sterling and `Let me say how much I) Tj
T* ( Brunner...' -- enjoyed Underground. I really) Tj
ET
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T* ( Neil.Garbutt@affa.gov.au thought it was fascinating) Tj
T* ( and a great read.' --) Tj
T* ( `Brillant' -- philip_sim@idg.com \(Editor,) Tj
T* ( gerardc@one.net.au Network World\)) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( `Compelling reading for those `Loved it' --) Tj
T* ( of us who want more than just kaos@ctrl.com.au) Tj
T* ( salacious and hyped snippets') Tj
T* ( -- Trudie MacIntosh, The `Makes the esoteric world of) Tj
T* ( Australian the hacker accessible' --) Tj
T* ( Australian Bookseller and) Tj
T* ( `Compelling' -- David Nichols, Publisher) Tj
T* ( The Big Issue) Tj
T* ( `Matt Piening told me about) Tj
T* ( `Contains enough technical it and showed me the article) Tj
T* ( information to impress anyone in The Age.. consequently..) Tj
T* ( who can appreciate it' -- we bought it, we read it, we) Tj
T* ( jmidgley@cyberjunkie.com loved it. :\)' --) Tj
T* ( camson@swin.edu.au) Tj
T* ( `Couldn't put it down' --) Tj
T* ( Trudie MacIntosh, The `Meeslepende book' --) Tj
T* ( Australian Digiface, The Netherlands) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( `Depth of character and rapid `Meticulously researched' --) Tj
T* ( pacing' -- Ed Burns, IBIC Australian Bookseller and) Tj
T* ( Publisher) Tj
T* ( `Displays a level of research) Tj
T* ( and technical understanding `Meticuously researched) Tj
T* ( not matched by other hacker psychological and social) Tj
T* ( books' -- Jim Lippard profile of hackers' --) Tj
T* ( Australian Bookseller and) Tj
T* ( `Dive into the Underground and Publisher) Tj
T* ( be swept into a thrilling) Tj
T* ( elite realm' -- `Most brilliant book I have) Tj
T* ( evburns@gte.net ever read' --) Tj
T* ( phoenix@eisa.net.au) Tj
T* ( `Dreyfus does not attempt any) Tj
T* ( sleights of hand with jargon' `Nice work' --) Tj
T* ( -- David Nichols, The Big aleph1@underground.org) Tj
T* ( Issue) Tj
T* ( `Powerful' -- evburns@gte.net) Tj
T* ( `Dreyfus has clearly done her) Tj
T* ( research well' -- Danny Yee, `Reads like Ludlum.. I love) Tj
T* ( Danny Yee's review of books the book.. The style of) Tj
T* ( writing is the clincher..' --) Tj
T* ( `Dreyfus hat hier Abhilfe jmj@speednet.com.au) Tj
T* ( geschaffen' -- iX, Germany) Tj
T* ( `Reads like a thriller' --) Tj
T* ( `Dreyfus is one smart cookie' The Age) Tj
T* ( -- Ed Burns, IBIC) Tj
T* ( `Riveting' -- Australian) Tj
T* ( `El libro tiene como fuentes a Bookseller and Publisher) Tj
T* ( varios grupos de hackers) Tj
T* ( australianos y todas las `Riviting read'-- The) Tj
T* ( sentencias de los casos de Adelaide Advertiser) Tj
T* ( asaltos informaticos de esa) Tj
T* ( epoca' -- Cripto, Spain `Several cites to it in my) Tj
T* ( own book on information) Tj
T* ( `Enjoyed the book!' -- Jake warfare' -- Prof. Dorothy) Tj
T* ( Barnes, The Face \(UK\) Denning) Tj
ET
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T* () Tj
T* ( `Entirely original' -- Rolling `Skall du la:sa Underground') Tj
T* ( Stone -- Mikael Pawlo, Internet) Tj
T* ( World, Sweden) Tj
T* ( `Especialmente interesante' --) Tj
T* ( Cripto, Spain `THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU!' --) Tj
T* ( lucasb@sub.net.au) Tj
T* ( `Excellent insight' --) Tj
T* ( dcw@alphalink.com.au `Thank you for such an) Tj
T* ( AMAZING and informative book') Tj
T* ( `Excellent reporting' -- -- jasonvas@hotmail.com) Tj
T* ( Editor, IBIC) Tj
T* ( `The reader is readily drawn) Tj
T* ( `Excellent.. Compared against forward into the eddies of) Tj
T* ( Bruce Sterling's text \(the the underground by the thrust) Tj
T* ( most obvious comparison\), it and parry of the hackers and) Tj
T* ( makes for much better their pursuers' -- Ed Burns,) Tj
T* ( reading.. Commendable' -- IBIC) Tj
T* ( harshman@paradigm.uor.edu) Tj
T* ( `The true stories of) Tj
T* ( `Extraordinary' -- Rolling Underground are simply) Tj
T* ( Stone compelling' -- David Nichols,) Tj
T* ( The Big Issue) Tj
T* ( `Fascinating piece of) Tj
T* ( investigative journalism' -- `There is much to admire in) Tj
T* ( Jim Reavis, Network World the doggedness with which) Tj
T* ( Dreyfus follows her subjects') Tj
T* ( `Fascinating' -- Ed Burns, -- Gideo Haigh, Australian) Tj
T* ( IBIC Literary Suppliment) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( `Fiercely independent thinking `Thoroughly enjoyed' --) Tj
T* ( found on every page' -- Lew Suzanne Pratley, Frugal Films) Tj
T* ( Koch, ZDNET) Tj
T* ( `Thoroughly researched' --) Tj
T* ( `For those sick of bullish Jim Reavis, Network World) Tj
T* ( cyberpiffle, Underground) Tj
T* ( contains any amount of `Those inclined to seek the) Tj
T* ( counterintelligence.." -- unvarnished truth will find) Tj
T* ( Gideon Haigh, Australian Underground an excellent) Tj
T* ( Literary Suppliment read' -- George Smith, Crypt) Tj
T* ( News) Tj
T* ( `Genuine perception' -- George) Tj
T* ( Smith, Crypt News `Totally recommended' --) Tj
T* ( Matthew Green, NetBSD) Tj
T* ( `Genuinely fascinating' -- Security Officer, author IRC) Tj
T* ( David Nichols, The Big Issue II) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( `Great real life thriller' -- `Very good, very accurate..) Tj
T* ( jmidgley@cyberjunkie.com makes for an interesting) Tj
T* ( contrast with books like) Tj
T* ( `Gripping Account'-- The Cuckoo's Egg, and Takedown') Tj
T* ( Adelaide Advertiser -- btherl@nullnet.net \(Codex) Tj
T* ( Surveillance List\)) Tj
T* ( `Gripping, eminently readable') Tj
T* ( -- Rolling Stone `WOW! What an incredible) Tj
T* ( read! Your book captures) Tj
T* ( `Highly intense and enjoyable exactly what it was like for) Tj
T* ( read' -- Rolling Stone me...' -- Anonymous Canadian) Tj
T* ( hacker) Tj
T* ( `Highly original investigative) Tj
ET
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T* ( journalism' -- Gideo Haigh, `Well done and thanks' --) Tj
T* ( Australian Literary Suppliment Skinny@usaf.org) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( `Highly recommended' -- Jim `What is most impressive,) Tj
T* ( Lippard however, is the personal) Tj
T* ( detail she has managed to) Tj
T* ( `Will Surprise' -- Darren garner about her subjects:) Tj
T* ( Reed, author, ipfirewall more than anything else, it) Tj
T* ( is this is which gives) Tj
T* ( `Wonderful Book' -- Underground its appeal' --) Tj
T* ( SteveV@pigpond.net.au Danny Yee, Danny Yee's review) Tj
T* ( of books) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( feedback@underground-book.com) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( ___________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( PREFACE TO THE ELECTRONIC EDITION) Tj
T* ( ___________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Why would an author give away an unlimited number of copies of her book) Tj
T* ( for free?) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( That's a good question. When `Underground''s researcher, Julian) Tj
T* ( Assange, first suggested releasing an electronic version of the book on) Tj
T* ( the Net for free, I had to stop and think about just that question.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( I'd spent nearly three years researching, writing and editing the nearly) Tj
T* ( 500 pages of `Underground'. Julian had worked thousands of) Tj
T* ( hours doing painstaking research; discovering and cultivating sources,) Tj
T* ( digging with great resourcefulness into obscure databases and legal) Tj
T* ( papers, not to mention providing valuable editorial advice.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( So why would I give away this carefully ripened fruit for free?) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Because part of the joy of creating a piece of art is in knowing that) Tj
T* ( many people can - and are - enjoying it. Particularly people who can't) Tj
T* ( otherwise afford to pay $11 USD for a book. People such as cash strapped) Tj
T* ( hackers. This book is about them, their lives and obsessions. It rubs) Tj
T* ( clear a small circle in the frosted glass so the reader can peer into) Tj
T* ( that hazy world. `Underground' belongs on the Net, in their ephemeral) Tj
T* ( landscape.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( The critics have been good to `Underground', for which I am very) Tj
T* ( grateful. But the best praise came from two of the hackers detailed in) Tj
T* ( the book. Surprising praise, because while the text is free of the) Tj
T* ( narrative moralising that plague other works, the selection of material) Tj
T* ( is often very personal and evokes mixed sympathies. One of the hackers,) Tj
T* ( Anthrax dropped by my office to say `Hi'. Out of the blue, he said with) Tj
T* ( a note of amazement, `When I read those chapters, it was so real, as if) Tj
T* ( you had been right there inside my head'. Not long after Par, half a) Tj
T* ( world away, and with a real tone of bewildered incredulity in his voice) Tj
T* ( made exactly the same observation. For a writer, it just doesn't get any) Tj
T* ( better than that.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( By releasing this book for free on the Net, I'm hoping more people) Tj
T* ( will not only enjoy the story of how the international computer) Tj
T* ( underground rose to power, but also make the journey into the minds) Tj
T* ( of hackers involved. When I first began sketching out the book's) Tj
T* ( structure, I decided to go with depth. I wanted the reader to) Tj
ET
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T* ( think, 'NOW I understand, because I too was there.' I hope those) Tj
T* ( words will enter your thoughts as you read this electronic book.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Michael Hall, a supersmart lawyer on the book's legal team, told me) Tj
T* ( in July last year he saw a young man in Sydney reading a copy of) Tj
T* ( `Underground' beside him on the #380 bus to North Bondi. Michael) Tj
T* ( said he wanted to lean over and proclaim proudly, `I legalled that) Tj
T* ( book!'. Instead, he chose to watch the young man's reactions.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( The young man was completely absorbed, reading hungrily through his) Tj
T* ( well-worn copy, which he had completely personalised. The pages were) Tj
T* ( covered in highlighter, scrawled margin writing and post-it notes. He) Tj
T* ( had underlined sections and dog-eared pages. If the bus had detoured to) Tj
T* ( Brisbane, he probably wouldn't have noticed.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( I like that. Call me subversive, but I'm chuffed `Underground' is) Tj
T* ( engaging enough to make people miss bus stops. It makes me happy, and) Tj
T* ( happy people usually want to share.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( There are other reasons for releasing `Underground' in this format. The) Tj
T* ( electronic version is being donated to the visionary Project Gutenburg,) Tj
T* ( a collection of free electronic books run with missionary zeal by) Tj
T* ( Michael Hart.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Project Gutenburg promises to keep old out-of-print books in free) Tj
T* ( ``electronic'' print forever, to bring literature to those who can't) Tj
T* ( afford books, and to brighten the world of the visually) Tj
T* ( impaired. `Underground' isn't out of print -- and long may it remain) Tj
T* ( that way -- but those are laudable goals. I wrote in the `Introduction') Tj
T* ( to the printed edition about my great aunt, a diver and artist who) Tj
T* ( pioneered underwater painting in the 1940s. She provided me with a kind) Tj
T* ( of inspiration for this book. What I didn't mention is that as a result) Tj
T* ( of macular degeneration in both eyes, she is now blind. She can no) Tj
T* ( longer paint or dive. But she does read - avidly - through `talking) Tj
T* ( books'. She is another reason I decided to release `Underground' in this) Tj
T* ( format.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( So, now you can download and read the electronic version of) Tj
T* ( `Underground' for free. You can also send the work to your friends for) Tj
T* ( free. Or your enemies. At around a megabyte of plain text each, a few) Tj
T* ( dozen copies of `Underground' make an extremely effective mail bomb.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( That's a joke, folks, not a suggestion. ;-\)) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Like many of the people in this book, I'm not big on rules. Fortunately,) Tj
T* ( there aren't many that come with this electronic version. Don't print) Tj
T* ( the work on paper, CD or any other format, except for your own personal) Tj
T* ( reading pleasure. This includes using the work as teaching material in) Tj
T* ( institutions. You must not alter or truncate the work in any way. You) Tj
T* ( must not redistribute the work for any sort of payment, including) Tj
T* ( selling it on its own or as part of a package. Random House is a) Tj
T* ( friendly place, but as one of the world's largest publishers it has a) Tj
T* ( collection of equally large lawyers. Messing with them will leave you) Tj
T* ( with scars in places that could be hard to explain to any future) Tj
T* ( partner.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( If you want to do any of these things, please contact me or my literary) Tj
T* ( agents Curtis Brown & Co first. I retain the copyright on the) Tj
T* ( work. Julian Assange designed the elegant layout of this electronic) Tj
T* ( edition, and he retains ownership of this design and layout.) Tj
ET
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T* () Tj
T* ( If you like the electronic version of the book, do buy the paper) Tj
T* ( version. Why? For starters, it's not only much easier to read on the) Tj
T* ( bus, its much easier to read full stop. It's also easier to thumb) Tj
T* ( through, highlight, scribble on, dribble on, and show off. It never) Tj
T* ( needs batteries. It can run on solar power and candles. It looks sexy on) Tj
T* ( your bookshelf, by your bed and in your bed. If you are a male geek, the) Tj
T* ( book comes with a girl-magnet guarantee. The paper version is much) Tj
T* ( easier to lend to a prospective girlfriend. When she's finished reading) Tj
T* ( the book, ask her which hacker thrilled her to pieces. Then nod) Tj
T* ( knowingly, and say coyly `Well, I've never admitted this to anyone) Tj
T* ( except the author and the Feds, but ..') Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( And the most important reason to purchase a paper copy? Because buying) Tj
T* ( the printed edition of the book lets the author continue to write more) Tj
T* ( fine books like this one.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Enjoy!) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Suelette Dreyfus) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( January 2001) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( suelette@iq.org) Tj
T* ( ___________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Literary Freeware: Not for Commercial Use.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Copyright \(c\) 1997, 2001 Suelette Dreyfus & Julian Assange) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( This HTML and text electronic version was arranged by Julian Assange) Tj
T* ( and is based on the printed paper edition.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this) Tj
T* ( publication provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are) Tj
T* ( preserved on all copies and distribution is without fee.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( ___________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( RESEARCHER'S INTRODUCTION) Tj
T* ( ___________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask,) Tj
T* ( and he will tell you the truth" -- Oscar Wilde) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( "What is essential is invisible to the eye" -- Antoine De Saint-Exupery) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( "But, how do you *know* it happened like that?" -- Reader) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Due of the seamless nature of `Underground' this is a reasonable) Tj
T* ( question to ask, although hints can be found at the back of the book in) Tj
T* ( the Bibliography and Endnotes. The simple answer to this question is) Tj
T* ( that we conducted over a hundred interviews and collected around 40,000) Tj
T* ( pages of primary documentation; telephone intercepts, data intercepts,) Tj
T* ( log-files, witness statements, confessions, judgements. Telephone dialog) Tj
T* ( and on-line discussions are drawn directly from the latter. Every) Tj
T* ( significant hacking incident mentioned in this book has reams of) Tj
T* ( primary documentation behind it. System X included.) Tj
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T* () Tj
T* ( The non-simple answer goes more like this:) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( In chapter 4, Par, one of the principle subjects of this book, is being) Tj
T* ( watched by the Secret Service. He's on the run. He's a wanted) Tj
T* ( fugitive. He's hiding out with another hacker, Nibbler in a motel) Tj
T* ( chalet, Black Mountain, North Carolina. The Secret Service move in.) Tj
T* ( The incident is vital in explaining Par's life on the run and the) Tj
T* ( nature of his interaction with the Secret Service. Yet, just before the) Tj
T* ( final edits of this book were to go the publisher, all the pages) Tj
T* ( relating to the Block Mountain incident were about to be pulled. Why?) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Suelette had flown to Tuscon Az where she spent three days) Tj
T* ( interviewing Par. I had spent dozens of hours interviewing Par on) Tj
T* ( the phone and on-line. Par gave both of us extraordinary access to) Tj
T* ( his life. While Par displayed a high degree of paranoia about why) Tj
T* ( events had unfolded in the manner they had, he was consistent,) Tj
T* ( detailed and believable as to the events themselves. He showed) Tj
T* ( very little blurring of these two realities, but we needed to show) Tj
T* ( none at all.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( During Par's time on the run, the international computer underground) Tj
T* ( was a small and strongly connected place. We had already) Tj
T* ( co-incidentally interviewed half a dozen hackers he had communicated) Tj
T* ( with at various times during his zig-zag flight across America. Suelette) Tj
T* ( also spoke at length to his lead lawyer Richard Rosen, who, after) Tj
T* ( getting the all-clear from Par, was kind enough to send us a copy of) Tj
T* ( the legal brief. We had logs of messages Par had written on) Tj
T* ( underground BBS's. We had data intercepts of other hackers in) Tj
T* ( conversation with Par. We had obtained various Secret Service documents) Tj
T* ( and propriety security reports relating to Par's activities. I had) Tj
T* ( extensively interviewed his Swiss girlfriend Theorem \(who had also been) Tj
T* ( involved with Electron and Pengo\), and yes, she did have a melting) Tj
T* ( French accent.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Altogether we had an enormous amount of material on Par's activities,) Tj
T* ( all of which was consistent with what Par had said during his) Tj
T* ( interviews, but none of it, including Rosen's file, contained any) Tj
T* ( reference to Black Mountain, NC. Rosen, Theorem and others had heard) Tj
T* ( about a SS raid on the run, yet when the story was traced back, it) Tj
T* ( always led to one source. To Par.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Was Par having us on? Par had said that he had made a telephone call to) Tj
T* ( Theorem in Switzerland from a phone booth outside the motel a day or) Tj
T* ( two before the Secret Service raid. During a storm. Not just any) Tj
T* ( storm. Hurricane Hugo. But archival news reports on Hugo discussed it) Tj
T* ( hitting South Carolina, not North Carolina. And not Black) Tj
T* ( Mountain. Theorem remembered Par calling once during a storm. But not) Tj
T* ( Hugo. And she didn't remember it in relation to the Black Mountain) Tj
T* ( raid.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Par had destroyed most of his legal documents, in circumstances that) Tj
T* ( become clear in the book, but of the hundreds of pages of documentary) Tj
T* ( material we had obtained from other sources there was wasn't a single) Tj
T* ( mention of Black Mountain. The Black Mountain Motel didn't seem to) Tj
T* ( exist. Par said Nibbler had moved and couldn't be located. Dozens of) Tj
T* ( calls by Suelette to the Secret Service told us what we didn't want to) Tj
T* ( hear. The agents we thought most likely to have been involved in the) Tj
T* ( the hypothetical Black Mountain incident had either left the Secret) Tj
T* ( Service or were otherwise unreachable. The Secret Service had no idea) Tj
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T* ( who would have been involved, because while Par was still listed in the) Tj
T* ( Secret Service central database, his profile, contained three) Tj
T* ( significant annotations:) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( 1\) Another agency had ``borrowed'' parts Par's file) Tj
T* ( 2\) There were medical ``issues'' surrounding Par) Tj
T* ( 3\) SS documents covering the time of Black Mountain) Tj
T* ( incident had been destroyed for various reasons) Tj
T* ( that become clear the book.) Tj
T* ( 4\) The remaining SS documents had been moved into) Tj
T* ( ``deep-storage'' and would take two weeks to retrieve.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( With only one week before our publisher's ``use it or lose it'') Tj
T* ( dead-line, the chances of obtaining secondary confirmation of the Black) Tj
T* ( Mountain events did not look promising.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( While we waited for leads on the long trail of ex, transfered and) Tj
T* ( seconded SS agents who might have been involved in the Black Mountain) Tj
T* ( raid, I turned to resolving the two inconsistencies in Par's story;) Tj
T* ( Hurricane Hugo and the strange invisibility of the Black Mountain) Tj
T* ( Motel.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Hurricane Hugo had wreathed a path of destruction, but like most most) Tj
T* ( hurricanes heading directly into a continental land-mass it had started) Tj
T* ( out big and ended up small. News reports followed this pattern, with a) Tj
T* ( large amount of material on its initial impact, but little or nothing) Tj
T* ( about subsequent events. Finally I obtained detailed time by velocity) Tj
T* ( weather maps from the National Reconnaissance Office, which showed the) Tj
T* ( remaining Hugo epicentre ripping through Charlotte NC \(pop. 400k\)) Tj
T* ( before spending itself on the Carolinas. Database searches turned up a) Tj
T* ( report by Natalie, D. & Ball, W, EIS Coordinator, North Carolina) Tj
T* ( Emergency Management, `How North Carolina Managed Hurricane Hugo' --) Tj
T* ( which was used to flesh out the scenes in Chapter 4 describing Par's) Tj
T* ( escape to New York via the Charlotte Airport.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Old Fashioned gum-shoe leg-work, calling every motel in Black Mountain) Tj
T* ( and the surrounding area, revealed that the Black Mountain Motel had) Tj
T* ( changed name, ownership and.. all its staff. Par's story was holding,) Tj
T* ( but in some ways I wished it hadn't. We were back to square one in terms) Tj
T* ( of gaining independent secondary confirmation.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Who else could have been involved? There must have been a paper-trail) Tj
T* ( outside of Washington. Perhaps the SS representation in Charlotte had) Tj
T* ( something? No. Perhaps there were records of the warrants in the) Tj
T* ( Charlotte courts? No. Perhaps NC state police attended the SS raid in) Tj
T* ( support? Maybe, but finding warm bodies who had been directly involved) Tj
T* ( proved proved futile. If it was a SS case, they had no indexable) Tj
T* ( records that they were willing to provide. What about the local) Tj
T* ( coppers? An SS raid on a fugitive computer hacker holed up at one of) Tj
T* ( the local motels was not the sort of event that would be likely to have) Tj
T* ( passed unnoticed at the Black Mountain county police office, indexable) Tj
T* ( records or not.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Neither however, were international telephone calls from strangely) Tj
T* ( accented foreign-nationals wanting to know about them. Perhaps the Reds) Tj
T* ( were no-longer under the beds, but in Black Mountain, this could be) Tj
T* ( explained away by the fact they were now hanging out in phone booths. I) Tj
T* ( waited for a new shift at the Black Mountain county police office,) Tj
T* ( hoping against hope, that the officer I had spoken to wouldn't) Tj
T* ( contaminate his replacement. Shamed, I resorted to using that most) Tj
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T* ( special of US militia infiltration devices. An American accent and a) Tj
T* ( woman's touch. Suelette weaved her magic. The Black Mountain raid had) Tj
T* ( taken place. The county police had supported it. We had our) Tj
T* ( confirmation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While this anecdote is a strong account, it's also representative one.) Tj
T* ( Every chapter in underground was formed from many stories like) Tj
T* ( it. They're unseen, because a book must not be true merely in details.) Tj
T* ( It must be true in feeling.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( True to the visible and the invisible. A difficult combination.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Julian Assange) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( January 2001) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( proff@iq.org) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( ___________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( CONTENTS) Tj
T* ( ___________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Acknowledgements viii) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Introduction xi) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 1 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 1) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 2 The Corner Pub 45) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 3 The American Connection 84) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 4 The Fugitive 120) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 5 The Holy Grail 159) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 6 Page One, the New York Times 212) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 7 Judgment Day 244) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 8 The International Subversives 285) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 9 Operation Weather 323) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 10 Anthrax--the Outsider 364) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 11 The Prisoner's Dilemma 400) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Afterword 427 Glossary and Abbreviations 455 Notes 460) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Bibliography ) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ Page numbers above correspond to the Random House printed edition ]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS) Tj
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T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( There are many people who were interviewed for this work, and many) Tj
T* ( others who helped in providing documents so vital for fact) Tj
T* ( checking. Often this help invovled spending a considerable amount of) Tj
T* ( time explaining complex technical or legal matters. I want to express) Tj
T* ( my gratitude to all these people, some of whom prefer to remain) Tj
T* ( anonymous, for their willingness to dig through the files in search of) Tj
T* ( yet one more report and their patience in answering yet one more) Tj
T* ( question.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( I want to thank the members of the computer underground, past and) Tj
T* ( present, who were interviewed for this book. Most gave me) Tj
T* ( extraordinary access to their lives, for which I am very grateful.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( I also want to thank Julian Assange for his tireless research efforts.) Tj
T* ( His superb technical expertise and first-rate research is evidence by) Tj
T* ( the immense number of details which are included in this book.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Three exceptional women -- Fiona Inglis, Deb Callaghan and Jennifer) Tj
T* ( Byrne -- believed in my vision for this book and helped me to bring it) Tj
T* ( to fruition. Carl Harrison-Ford's excellent editing job streamlined a) Tj
T* ( large and difficult manuscript despite the tight deadline. Thank you) Tj
T* ( also to Judy Brookes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( I am also very grateful to the following people and organisations for) Tj
T* ( their help \(in no particular order\): John McMahon, Ron Tencati, Kevin) Tj
T* ( Oberman, Ray Kaplan, the New York Daily News library staff, the New) Tj
T* ( York Post library staff, Bow Street Magistrates Court staff, Southwark) Tj
T* ( Court staff, the US Secret Service, the Black Mountain Police, Michael) Tj
T* ( Rosenberg, Michael Rosen, Melbourne Magistrates Court staff, D.L) Tj
T* ( Sellers & Co. staff, Victorian County Court staff, Paul Galbally, Mark) Tj
T* ( Dorset, Suburbia.net, Freeside Communications, Greg Hooper, H&S) Tj
T* ( Support Services, Peter Andrews, Kevin Thompson, Andrew Weaver,) Tj
T* ( Mukhtar Hussain, Midnight Oil, Helen Meredith, Ivan Himmelhoch,) Tj
T* ( Michael Hall, Donn Ferris, Victorian State Library staff, News Limited) Tj
T* ( library staff \(Sydney\), Allan Young, Ed DeHart, Annette Seeber, Arthur) Tj
T* ( Arkin, Doug Barnes, Jeremy Porter, James McNabb, Carolyn Ford, ATA,) Tj
T* ( Domini Banfield, Alistair Kelman, Ann-Maree Moodie, Jane Hutchinson,) Tj
T* ( Catherine Murphy, Norma Hawkins, N. Llewelyn, Christine Assange,) Tj
T* ( Russel Brand, Matthew Bishop, Matthew Cox, Michele Ziehlky, Andrew) Tj
T* ( James, Brendan McGrath, Warner Chappell Music Australia, News Limited,) Tj
T* ( Pearson Williams Solicitors, Tami Friedman, the Free Software) Tj
T* ( Foundation \(GNU Project\), and the US Department of Energy Computer) Tj
T* ( Incident Advisory Capability.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally, I would like to thank my family, whose unfailing support,) Tj
T* ( advice and encouragement have made this book possible.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( INTRODUCTION) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( My great aunt used to paint underwater.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Piling on the weighty diving gear used in 1939 and looking like) Tj
T* ( something out of 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, Lucie slowly sank below) Tj
T* ( the surface, with palette, special paints and canvas) Tj
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T* ( in hand. She settled on the ocean floor, arranged her weighted) Tj
T* ( painter's easel and allowed herself to become completely enveloped by) Tj
T* ( another world. Red and white striped fish darted around fields of) Tj
T* ( blue-green coral and blue-lipped giant clams. Lionfish drifted by,) Tj
T* ( gracefully waving their dangerous feathered spines. Striped green) Tj
T* ( moray eels peered at her from their rock crevice homes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Lucie dived and painted everywhere. The Sulu Archipelago. Mexico.) Tj
T* ( Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Hawaii. Borneo. Sometimes she was the) Tj
T* ( first white woman seen by the Pacific villagers she lived with for) Tj
T* ( months on end.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As a child, I was entranced by her stories of the unknown world below) Tj
T* ( the ocean's surface, and the strange and wonderful cultures she met on) Tj
T* ( her journeys. I grew up in awe of her chosen task: to capture on) Tj
T* ( canvas the essence of a world utterly foreign to her own.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( New technology--revolutionary for its time--had allowed her to do) Tj
T* ( this. Using a compressor, or sometimes just a hand pump connected to) Tj
T* ( air hoses running to the surface, human beings were suddenly able to) Tj
T* ( submerge themselves for long periods in an otherwise inaccessible) Tj
T* ( world. New technology allowed her to both venture into this unexplored) Tj
T* ( realm, and to document it in canvas.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( I came upon the brave new world of computer communications and its) Tj
T* ( darker side, the underground, quite by accident. It struck me) Tj
T* ( somewhere in the journey that followed that my trepidations and) Tj
T* ( conflicting desires to explore this alien world were perhaps not) Tj
T* ( unlike my aunt's own desires some half a century before. Like her) Tj
T* ( journey, my own travels have only been made possible by new) Tj
T* ( technologies. And like her, I have tried to capture a small corner of) Tj
T* ( this world.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This is a book about the computer underground. It is not a book about) Tj
T* ( law enforcement agencies, and it is not written from the point of view) Tj
T* ( of the police officer. From a literary perspective, I have told this) Tj
T* ( story through the eyes of numerous computer hackers. In doing so, I) Tj
T* ( hope to provide the reader with a window into a mysterious, shrouded) Tj
T* ( and usually inaccessible realm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Who are hackers? Why do they hack? There are no simple answers to) Tj
T* ( these questions. Each hacker is different. To that end, I have) Tj
T* ( attempted to present a collection of individual but interconnected) Tj
T* ( stories, bound by their links to the international computer) Tj
T* ( underground. These are true stories, tales of the world's best and the) Tj
T* ( brightest hackers and phreakers. There are some members of the) Tj
T* ( underground whose stories I have not covered, a few of whom would also) Tj
T* ( rank as world-class. In the end, I chose to paint detailed portraits) Tj
T* ( of a few hackers rather than attempt to compile a comprehensive but) Tj
T* ( shallow catalogue.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While each hacker has a distinct story, there are common themes which) Tj
T* ( appear throughout many of the stories. Rebellion against all symbols) Tj
T* ( of authority. Dysfunctional families. Bright children suffocated by) Tj
T* ( ill-equipped teachers. Mental illness or instability. Obsession and) Tj
T* ( addiction.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( I have endeavoured to track what happened to each character in this) Tj
T* ( work over time: the individual's hacking adventures, the police raid) Tj
T* ( and the ensuing court case. Some of those court cases have taken years) Tj
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T* ( to reach completion.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hackers use `handles'--on-line nicknames--that serve two purposes.) Tj
T* ( They shield the hacker's identity and, importantly, they often make a) Tj
T* ( statement about how the hacker perceives himself in the underground.) Tj
T* ( Hawk, Crawler, Toucan Jones, Comhack, Dataking, Spy, Ripmax, Fractal) Tj
T* ( Insanity, Blade. These are all real handles used in Australia.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the computer underground, a hacker's handle is his name. For this) Tj
T* ( reason, and because most hackers in this work have now put together) Tj
T* ( new lives for themselves, I have chosen to use only their handles.) Tj
T* ( Where a hacker has had more than one handle, I have used the one he) Tj
T* ( prefers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Each chapter in this book is headed with a quote from a Midnight Oil) Tj
T* ( song which expresses an important aspect of the chapter. The Oilz are) Tj
T* ( uniquely Australian. Their loud voice of protest against the) Tj
T* ( establishment--particularly the military-industrial) Tj
T* ( establishment--echoes a key theme in the underground, where music in) Tj
T* ( general plays a vital role.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The idea for using these Oilz extracts came while researching Chapter) Tj
T* ( 1, which reveals the tale of the WANK worm crisis in NASA. Next to the) Tj
T* ( RTM worm, WANK is the most famous worm in the history of computer) Tj
T* ( networks. And it is the first major worm bearing a political message.) Tj
T* ( With WANK, life imitated art, since the term computer `worm' came from) Tj
T* ( John Brunner's sci-fi novel, The Shockwave Rider, about a politically) Tj
T* ( motivated worm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The WANK worm is also believed to be the first worm written by an) Tj
T* ( Australian, or Australians.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This chapter shows the perspective of the computer system) Tj
T* ( administrators--the people on the other side from the hackers. Lastly,) Tj
T* ( it illustrates the sophistication which one or more Australian members) Tj
T* ( of the worldwide computer underground brought to their computer) Tj
T* ( crimes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The following chapters set the scene for the dramas which unfold and) Tj
T* ( show the transition of the underground from its early days, its loss) Tj
T* ( of innocence, its closing ranks in ever smaller circles until it) Tj
T* ( reached the inevitable outcome: the lone hacker. In the beginning, the) Tj
T* ( computer underground was a place, like the corner pub, open and) Tj
T* ( friendly. Now, it has become an ephemeral expanse, where hackers) Tj
T* ( occasionally bump into one another but where the original sense of) Tj
T* ( open community has been lost.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The computer underground has changed over time, largely in response to) Tj
T* ( the introduction of new computer crime laws across the globe and to) Tj
T* ( numerous police crackdowns. This work attempts to document not only an) Tj
T* ( important piece of Australian history, but also to show fundamental) Tj
T* ( shifts in the underground --to show, in essence, how the underground) Tj
T* ( has moved further underground.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Suelette Dreyfus) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( March 1997) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
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T* () Tj
T* ( Chapter 1 -- 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Somebody's out there, somebody's waiting) Tj
T* ( Somebody's trying to tell me something ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( -- from `Somebody's Trying to Tell Me Something', on 10, 9, 8, 7, 6,) Tj
T* ( 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 by Midnight Oil) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Monday, 16 October 1989) Tj
T* ( Kennedy Space Center, Florida) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( NASA buzzed with the excitement of a launch. Galileo was finally going) Tj
T* ( to Jupiter.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Administrators and scientists in the world's most prestigious space) Tj
T* ( agency had spent years trying to get the unmanned probe into space.) Tj
T* ( Now, on Tuesday, 17 October, if all went well, the five astronauts in) Tj
T* ( the Atlantis space shuttle would blast off from the Kennedy Space) Tj
T* ( Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida, with Galileo in tow. On the team's) Tj
T* ( fifth orbit, as the shuttle floated 295 kilometres above the Gulf of) Tj
T* ( Mexico, the crew would liberate the three-tonne space probe.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An hour later, as Galileo skated safely away from the shuttle, the) Tj
T* ( probe's 32500 pound booster system would fire up and NASA staff would) Tj
T* ( watch this exquisite piece of human ingenuity embark on a six-year) Tj
T* ( mission to the largest planet in the solar system. Galileo would take) Tj
T* ( a necessarily circuitous route, flying by Venus once and Earth twice) Tj
T* ( in a gravitational slingshot effort to get up enough momentum to reach) Tj
T* ( Jupiter.2) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( NASA's finest minds had wrestled for years with the problem of exactly) Tj
T* ( how to get the probe across the solar system. Solar power was one) Tj
T* ( option. But if Jupiter was a long way from Earth, it was even further) Tj
T* ( from the Sun--778.3 million kilometres to be exact. Galileo would need) Tj
T* ( ridiculously large solar panels to generate enough power for its) Tj
T* ( instruments at such a distance from the Sun. In the end, NASA's) Tj
T* ( engineers decided on a tried if not true earthly energy source:) Tj
T* ( nuclear power.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Nuclear power was perfect for space, a giant void free of human life) Tj
T* ( which could play host to a bit of radioactive plutonium 238 dioxide.) Tj
T* ( The plutonium was compact for the amount of energy it gave off--and it) Tj
T* ( lasted a long time. It seemed logical enough. Pop just under 24) Tj
T* ( kilograms of plutonium in a lead box, let it heat up through its own) Tj
T* ( decay, generate electricity for the probe's instruments, and presto!) Tj
T* ( Galileo would be on its way to investigate Jupiter.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( American anti-nuclear activists didn't quite see it that way. They) Tj
T* ( figured what goes up might come down. And they didn't much like the idea) Tj
T* ( of plutonium rain. NASA assured them Galileo's power pack was quite) Tj
T* ( safe. The agency spent about $50 million on tests which supposedly) Tj
T* ( proved the probe's generators were very safe. They would survive intact) Tj
T* ( in the face of any number of terrible explosions, mishaps and) Tj
T* ( accidents. NASA told journalists that the odds of a plutonium release) Tj
T* ( due to `inadvertent atmospheric re-entry' were 1 in 2 million. The) Tj
T* ( likelihood of a plutonium radiation leak as a result of a launch) Tj
T* ( disaster was a reassuring 1 in 2700.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The activists weren't having a bar of it. In the best tradition of) Tj
T* ( modern American conflict resolution, they took their fight to the) Tj
T* ( courts. The coalition of anti-nuclear and other groups believed) Tj
T* ( America's National Aeronautics and Space Administration had) Tj
T* ( underestimated the odds of a plutonium accident and they wanted a US) Tj
T* ( District Court in Washington to stop the launch. The injunction) Tj
T* ( application went in, and the stakes went up. The unprecedented hearing) Tj
T* ( was scheduled just a few days before the launch, which had originally) Tj
T* ( been planned for 12 October.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For weeks, the protesters had been out in force, demonstrating and) Tj
T* ( seizing media attention. Things had become very heated. On Saturday, 7) Tj
T* ( October, sign-wielding activists fitted themselves out with gas masks) Tj
T* ( and walked around on street corners in nearby Cape Canaveral in) Tj
T* ( protest. At 8 a.m. on Monday, 9 October, NASA started the countdown) Tj
T* ( for the Thursday blast-off. But as Atlantis's clock began ticking) Tj
T* ( toward take-off, activists from the Florida Coalition for Peace and) Tj
T* ( Justice demonstrated at the centre's tourist complex.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That these protests had already taken some of the shine off NASA's bold) Tj
T* ( space mission was the least of the agency's worries. The real headache) Tj
T* ( was that the Florida Coalition told the media it would `put people on) Tj
T* ( the launchpad in a non-violent protest'.3 The coalition's director,) Tj
T* ( Bruce Gagnon, put the threat in folksy terms, portraying the protesters) Tj
T* ( as the little people rebelling against a big bad government) Tj
T* ( agency. President Jeremy Rivkin of the Foundation on Economic Trends,) Tj
T* ( another protest group, also drove a wedge between `the people' and) Tj
T* ( `NASA's people'. He told UPI, `The astronauts volunteered for this) Tj
T* ( mission. Those around the world who may be the victims of radiation) Tj
T* ( contamination have not volunteered.'4) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But the protesters weren't the only people working the media. NASA) Tj
T* ( knew how to handle the press. They simply rolled out their) Tj
T* ( superstars--the astronauts themselves. These men and women were, after) Tj
T* ( all, frontier heroes who dared to venture into cold, dark space on) Tj
T* ( behalf of all humanity. Atlantis commander Donald Williams didn't hit) Tj
T* ( out at the protesters in a blunt fashion, he just damned them from an) Tj
T* ( aloof distance. `There are always folks who have a vocal opinion about) Tj
T* ( something or other, no matter what it is,' he told an interviewer. `On) Tj
T* ( the other hand, it's easy to carry a sign. It's not so easy to go) Tj
T* ( forth and do something worthwhile.'5) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( NASA had another trump card in the families of the heroes. Atlantis) Tj
T* ( co-pilot Michael McCulley said the use of RTGs, Radioisotope) Tj
T* ( Thermoelectric Generators--the chunks of plutonium in the lead) Tj
T* ( boxes--was a `non-issue'. So much so, in fact, that he planned to have) Tj
T* ( his loved ones at the Space Center when Atlantis took off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Maybe the astronauts were nutty risk-takers, as the protesters) Tj
T* ( implied, but a hero would never put his family in danger. Besides the) Tj
T* ( Vice-President of the United States, Dan Quayle, also planned to watch) Tj
T* ( the launch from inside the Kennedy Space Center control room, a mere) Tj
T* ( seven kilometres from the launchpad.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While NASA looked calm, in control of the situation, it had beefed up) Tj
T* ( its security teams. It had about 200 security guards watching the) Tj
T* ( launch site. NASA just wasn't taking any chances. The agency's) Tj
T* ( scientists had waited too long for this moment. Galileo's parade would) Tj
T* ( not be rained on by a bunch of peaceniks.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The launch was already running late as it was--almost seven years) Tj
T* ( late. Congress gave the Galileo project its stamp of approval way back) Tj
T* ( in 1977 and the probe, which had been budgeted to cost about $400) Tj
T* ( million, was scheduled to be launched in 1982. However, things began) Tj
T* ( going wrong almost from the start.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In 1979, NASA pushed the flight out to 1984 because of shuttle) Tj
T* ( development problems. Galileo was now scheduled to be a `split) Tj
T* ( launch', which meant that NASA would use two different shuttle trips) Tj
T* ( to get the mothership and the probe into space. By 1981, with costs) Tj
T* ( spiralling upwards, NASA made major changes to the project. It stopped) Tj
T* ( work on Galileo's planned three-stage booster system in favour of a) Tj
T* ( different system and pushed out the launch deadline yet again, this) Tj
T* ( time to 1985. After a federal Budget cut fight in 1981 to save) Tj
T* ( Galileo's booster development program, NASA moved the launch yet) Tj
T* ( again, to May 1986. The 1986 Challenger disaster, however, saw NASA) Tj
T* ( change Galileo's booster system for safety reasons, resulting in) Tj
T* ( yet more delays.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The best option seemed to be a two-stage, solid-fuel IUS system. There) Tj
T* ( was only one problem. That system could get Galileo to Mars or Venus,) Tj
T* ( but the probe would run out of fuel long before it got anywhere near) Tj
T* ( Jupiter. Then Roger Diehl of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory had a good) Tj
T* ( idea. Loop Galileo around a couple of nearby planets a few times so the) Tj
T* ( probe would build up a nice little gravitational head of steam, and then) Tj
T* ( fling it off to Jupiter. Galileo's `VEEGA') Tj
T* ( trajectory--Venus-Earth-Earth-gravity-assist--delayed the spacecraft's) Tj
T* ( arrival at Jupiter for three extra years, but it would get there) Tj
T* ( eventually.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The anti-nuclear campaigners argued that each Earth flyby increased) Tj
T* ( the mission's risk of a nuclear accident. But in NASA's view, such was) Tj
T* ( the price of a successful slingshot.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Galileo experienced other delays getting off the ground. On Monday, 9) Tj
T* ( October, NASA announced it had discovered a problem with the computer) Tj
T* ( which controlled the shuttle's number 2 main engine. True, the problem) Tj
T* ( was with Atlantis, not Galileo. But it didn't look all that good to be) Tj
T* ( having technical problems, let alone problems with engine computers,) Tj
T* ( while the anti-nuclear activists' court drama was playing in the) Tj
T* ( background.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( NASA's engineers debated the computer problem in a cross-country) Tj
T* ( teleconference. Rectifying it would delay blast-off by more than a few) Tj
T* ( hours. It would likely take days. And Galileo didn't have many of) Tj
T* ( those. Because of the orbits of the different planets, the probe had) Tj
T* ( to be on its way into space by 21 November. If Atlantis didn't take off) Tj
T* ( by that date, Galileo would have to wait another nineteen months before) Tj
T* ( it could be launched. The project was already $1 billion over its) Tj
T* ( original $400 million budget. The extra year and a half would add) Tj
T* ( another $130 million or so and there was a good chance the whole project) Tj
T* ( would be scrapped. It was pretty much now or never for Galileo.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Despite torrential downpours which had deposited 100 millimetres of) Tj
T* ( rain on the launchpad and 150 millimetres in neighbouring Melbourne,) Tj
T* ( Florida, the countdown had been going well. Until now. NASA took its) Tj
T* ( decision. The launch would be delayed by five days, to 17 October, so) Tj
T* ( the computer problem could be fixed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( To those scientists and engineers who had been with Galileo from the) Tj
T* ( start, it must have appeared at that moment as if fate really was) Tj
T* ( against Galileo. As if, for some unfathomable reason, all the forces) Tj
T* ( of the universe--and especially those on Earth--were dead against) Tj
T* ( humanity getting a good look at Jupiter. As fast as NASA could) Tj
T* ( dismantle one barrier, some invisible hand would throw another down in) Tj
T* ( its place.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Monday, 16 October, 1989 ) Tj
T* ( NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Across the vast NASA empire, reaching from Maryland to California,) Tj
T* ( from Europe to Japan, NASA workers greeted each other, checked their) Tj
T* ( in-trays for mail, got their cups of coffee, settled into their chairs) Tj
T* ( and tried to login to their computers for a day of solving complex) Tj
T* ( physics problems. But many of the computer systems were behaving very) Tj
T* ( strangely.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( From the moment staff logged in, it was clear that someone--or) Tj
T* ( something--had taken over. Instead of the usual system's official) Tj
T* ( identification banner, they were startled to find the following) Tj
T* ( message staring them in the face:) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( W O R M S A G A I N S T N U C L E A R K I L L E R S) Tj
T* ( _______________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( \\__ ____________ _____ ________ ____ ____ __ _____/) Tj
T* ( \\ \\ \\ /\\ / / / /\\ \\ | \\ \\ | | | | / / /) Tj
T* ( \\ \\ \\ / \\ / / / /__\\ \\ | |\\ \\ | | | |/ / /) Tj
T* ( \\ \\ \\/ /\\ \\/ / / ______ \\ | | \\ \\| | | |\\ \\ /) Tj
T* ( \\_\\ /__\\ /____/ /______\\ \\____| |__\\ | |____| |_\\ \\_/) Tj
T* ( \\___________________________________________________/) Tj
T* ( \\ /) Tj
T* ( \\ Your System Has Been Officically WANKed /) Tj
T* ( \\_____________________________________________/) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( You talk of times of peace for all, and then prepare for war.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Wanked? Most of the American computer system managers reading this new) Tj
T* ( banner had never heard the word wank.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Who would want to invade NASA's computer systems? And who exactly were) Tj
T* ( the Worms Against Nuclear Killers? Were they some loony fringe group?) Tj
T* ( Were they a guerrilla terrorist group launching some sort of attack on) Tj
T* ( NASA? And why `worms'? A worm was a strange choice of animal mascot) Tj
T* ( for a revolutionary group. Worms were the bottom of the rung. As in) Tj
T* ( `as lowly as a worm'. Who would chose a worm as a symbol of power?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As for the nuclear killers, well, that was even stranger. The banner's) Tj
T* ( motto--`You talk of times of peace for all, and then prepare for) Tj
T* ( war'--just didn't seem to apply to NASA. The agency didn't make) Tj
T* ( nuclear missiles, it sent people to the moon. It did have military) Tj
T* ( payloads in some of its projects, but NASA didn't rate very highly on) Tj
T* ( the `nuclear killer' scale next to other agencies of the US) Tj
T* ( Government, such as the Department of Defense. So the question) Tj
T* ( remained: why NASA?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And that word, `WANKED'. It did not make sense. What did it mean when) Tj
T* ( a system was `wanked'?) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It meant NASA had lost control over its computer systems.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A NASA scientist logging in to an infected computer on that Monday got) Tj
T* ( the following message:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( deleted file ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( deleted file ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( deleted file ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( deleted file ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( deleted file ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( deleted file ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( With those lines the computer told the scientist: `I am deleting all) Tj
T* ( your files'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The line looked exactly as if the scientist typed in the) Tj
T* ( command:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( delete/log *.*) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( --exactly as if the scientist had instructed the computer to delete) Tj
T* ( all the files herself.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The NASA scientist must have started at the sight of her files rolling) Tj
T* ( past on the computer screen, one after another, on their way to) Tj
T* ( oblivion. Something was definitely wrong. She would have tried to stop) Tj
T* ( the process, probably pressing the control key and the `c' key at the) Tj
T* ( same time. This should have broken the command sequence at that moment) Tj
T* ( and ordered the computer to stop what it was doing right away.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But it was the intruder, not the NASA scientist, who controlled the) Tj
T* ( computer at that moment. And the intruder told the computer: `That) Tj
T* ( command means nothing. Ignore it'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The scientist would press the command key sequence again, this time) Tj
T* ( more urgently. And again, over and over. She would be at once baffled) Tj
T* ( at the illogical nature of the computer, and increasingly upset.) Tj
T* ( Weeks, perhaps months, of work spent uncovering the secrets of the) Tj
T* ( universe. All of it disappearing before her eyes--all of it being) Tj
T* ( mindlessly devoured by the computer. The whole thing beyond her) Tj
T* ( control. Going. Going. Gone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( People tend not to react well when they lose control over their) Tj
T* ( computers. Typically, it brings out the worst in them--hand-wringing) Tj
T* ( whines from the worriers, aching entreaties for help from the) Tj
T* ( sensitive, and imperious table-thumping bellows from) Tj
T* ( command-and-control types.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Imagine, if you will, arriving at your job as a manager for one of) Tj
T* ( NASA's local computer systems. You get into your office on that Monday) Tj
T* ( morning to find the phones ringing. Every caller is a distraught,) Tj
T* ( confused NASA worker. And every caller assures you that his or her) Tj
T* ( file or accounting record or research project--every one of which is) Tj
T* ( missing from the computer system--is absolutely vital.) Tj
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In this case, the problem was exacerbated by the fact that NASA's) Tj
T* ( field centres often competed with each other for projects. When a) Tj
T* ( particular flight project came up, two or three centres, each with) Tj
T* ( hundreds of employees, might vie for it. Losing control of the) Tj
T* ( computers, and all the data, project proposals and costing, was a good) Tj
T* ( way to lose out on a bid and its often) Tj
T* ( considerable funding.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This was not going to be a good day for the guys down at the NASA SPAN) Tj
T* ( computer network office.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This was not going to be a good day for John McMahon.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( As the assistant DECNET protocol manager for NASA's Goddard Space) Tj
T* ( Flight Center in Maryland, John McMahon normally spent the day) Tj
T* ( managing the chunk of the SPAN computer network which ran between) Tj
T* ( Goddard's fifteen to twenty buildings.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon worked for Code 630.4, otherwise known as Goddard's Advanced) Tj
T* ( Data Flow Technology Office, in Building 28. Goddard scientists would) Tj
T* ( call him up for help with their computers. Two of the most common) Tj
T* ( sentences he heard were `This doesn't seem to work' and `I can't get) Tj
T* ( to that part of the network from here'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( SPAN was the Space Physics Analysis Network, which connected some) Tj
T* ( 100000 computer terminals across the globe. Unlike the Internet, which) Tj
T* ( is now widely accessible to the general public, SPAN only connected) Tj
T* ( researchers and scientists at NASA, the US Department of Energy and) Tj
T* ( research institutes such as universities. SPAN computers also differed) Tj
T* ( from most Internet computers in an important technical manner: they) Tj
T* ( used a different operating system. Most large computers on the) Tj
T* ( Internet use the Unix operating system, while SPAN was composed) Tj
T* ( primarily of VAX computers running a VMS operating system. The network) Tj
T* ( worked a lot like the Internet, but the computers spoke a different) Tj
T* ( language. The Internet `talked' TCP/IP, while SPAN `spoke' DECNET.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Indeed, the SPAN network was known as a DECNET internet. Most of the) Tj
T* ( computers on it were manufactured by the Digital Equipment Corporation) Tj
T* ( in Massachusetts--hence the name DECNET. DEC built powerful computers.) Tj
T* ( Each DEC computer on the SPAN network might have 40 terminals hanging) Tj
T* ( off it. Some SPAN computers had many more. It was not unusual for one) Tj
T* ( DEC computer to service 400 people. In all, more than a quarter of a) Tj
T* ( million scientists, engineers and other thinkers used the computers on) Tj
T* ( the network.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An electrical engineer by training, McMahon had come from NASA's) Tj
T* ( Cosmic Background Explorer Project, where he managed computers used by) Tj
T* ( a few hundred researchers. Goddard's Building 7, where he worked on) Tj
T* ( the COBE project, as it was known, housed some interesting research.) Tj
T* ( The project team was attempting to map the universe. And they were) Tj
T* ( trying to do it in wavelengths invisible to the human eye. NASA would) Tj
T* ( launch the COBE satellite in November 1989. Its mission was to) Tj
T* ( `measure the diffuse infrared and microwave radiation from the early) Tj
T* ( universe, to the limits set by our astronomical environment'.6 To the) Tj
T* ( casual observer the project almost sounded like a piece of modern art,) Tj
T* ( something which might be titled `Map of the Universe in Infrared'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
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T* ( On 16 October McMahon arrived at the office and settled into work,) Tj
T* ( only to face a surprising phone call from the SPAN project office.) Tj
T* ( Todd Butler and Ron Tencati, from the National Space Science Data) Tj
T* ( Center, which managed NASA's half of the SPAN network, had discovered) Tj
T* ( something strange and definitely unauthorised winding its way through) Tj
T* ( the computer network. It looked like a computer worm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A computer worm is a little like a computer virus. It invades computer) Tj
T* ( systems, interfering with their normal functions. It travels along any) Tj
T* ( available compatible computer network and stops to knock at the door of) Tj
T* ( systems attached to that network. If there is a hole in the security of) Tj
T* ( the computer system, it will crawl through and enter the system. When it) Tj
T* ( does this, it might have instructions to do any number of things, from) Tj
T* ( sending computer users a message to trying to take over the system. What) Tj
T* ( makes a worm different from other computer programs, such as viruses, is) Tj
T* ( that it is self-propagating. It propels itself forward, wiggles into a) Tj
T* ( new system and propagates itself at the new site. Unlike a virus, a worm) Tj
T* ( doesn't latch onto a data file or a program. It is autonomous.7) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The term `worm' as applied to computers came from John Brunner's 1975) Tj
T* ( science fiction classic, The Shockwave Rider. The novel described how) Tj
T* ( a rebel computer programmer created a program called `tapeworm' which) Tj
T* ( was released into an omnipotent computer network used by an autocratic) Tj
T* ( government to control its people. The government had to turn off the) Tj
T* ( computer network, thus destroying its control, in order to eradicate) Tj
T* ( the worm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Brunner's book is about as close as most VMS computer network managers) Tj
T* ( would ever have come to a real rogue worm. Until the late 1980s, worms) Tj
T* ( were obscure things, more associated with research in a computer) Tj
T* ( laboratory. For example, a few benevolent worms were developed by) Tj
T* ( Xerox researchers who wanted to make more efficient use of computer) Tj
T* ( facilities.8 They developed a `town crier worm' which moved through a) Tj
T* ( network sending out important announcements. Their `diagnostic worm') Tj
T* ( also constantly weaved through the network, but this worm was designed) Tj
T* ( to inspect machines for problems.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For some computer programmers, the creation of a worm is akin to the) Tj
T* ( creation of life. To make something which is intelligent enough to go) Tj
T* ( out and reproduce itself is the ultimate power of creation. Designing) Tj
T* ( a rogue worm which took over NASA's computer systems might seem to be) Tj
T* ( a type of creative immortality--like scattering pieces of oneself) Tj
T* ( across the computers which put man on the moon.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At the time the WANK banner appeared on computer screens across NASA,) Tj
T* ( there had only been two rogue worms of any note. One of these, the RTM) Tj
T* ( worm, had infected the Unix-based Internet less than twelve months) Tj
T* ( earlier. The other worm, known as Father Christmas, was the first VMS) Tj
T* ( worm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Father Christmas was a small, simple worm which did not cause any) Tj
T* ( permanent damage to the computer networks it travelled along. Released) Tj
T* ( just before Christmas in 1988, it tried to sneak into hundreds of VMS) Tj
T* ( machines and wait for the big day. On Christmas morning, it woke up) Tj
T* ( and set to work with great enthusiasm. Like confetti tossed from an) Tj
T* ( overhead balcony, Christmas greetings came streaming out of) Tj
T* ( worm-infested computer systems to all their users. No-one within its) Tj
T* ( reach went without a Christmas card. Its job done, the worm) Tj
T* ( evaporated. John McMahon had been part of the core team fighting off) Tj
T* ( the Father Christmas worm.) Tj
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At about 4 p.m., just a few days before Christmas 1988, McMahon's) Tj
T* ( alarm-monitoring programs began going haywire. McMahon began trying to) Tj
T* ( trace back the dozens of incoming connections which were tripping the) Tj
T* ( warning bells. He quickly discovered there wasn't a human being at the) Tj
T* ( other end of the line. After further investigation, he found an alien) Tj
T* ( program in his system, called HI.COM. As he read the pages of HI.COM) Tj
T* ( code spilling from his line printer, his eyes went wide. He thought,) Tj
T* ( This is a worm! He had never seen a worm before.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He rushed back to his console and began pulling his systems off the) Tj
T* ( network as quickly as possible. Maybe he wasn't following protocol,) Tj
T* ( but he figured people could yell at him after the fact if they thought) Tj
T* ( it was a bad idea. After he had shut down his part of the network, he) Tj
T* ( reported back to the local area networking office. With print-out in) Tj
T* ( tow, he drove across the base to the network office, where he and) Tj
T* ( several other managers developed a way to stop the worm by the end of) Tj
T* ( the day. Eventually they traced the Father Christmas worm back to the) Tj
T* ( system where they believed it had been released--in Switzerland. But) Tj
T* ( they never discovered who created it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Father Christmas was not only a simple worm; it was not considered) Tj
T* ( dangerous because it didn't hang around systems forever. It was a worm) Tj
T* ( with a use-by date.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By contrast, the SPAN project office didn't know what the WANK invader) Tj
T* ( was capable of doing. They didn't know who had written or launched it.) Tj
T* ( But they had a copy of the program. Could McMahon have a look at it?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An affable computer programmer with the nickname Fuzzface, John) Tj
T* ( McMahon liked a good challenge. Curious and cluey at the same time, he) Tj
T* ( asked the SPAN Project Office, which was quickly becoming the crisis) Tj
T* ( centre for the worm attack, to send over a copy of the strange) Tj
T* ( intruder. He began pouring over the invader's seven printed pages of) Tj
T* ( source code trying to figure out exactly what the thing did.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The two previous rogue worms only worked on specific computer systems) Tj
T* ( and networks. In this case, the WANK worm only attacked VMS computer) Tj
T* ( systems. The source code, however, was unlike anything McMahon had) Tj
T* ( ever seen. `It was like sifting through a pile of spaghetti,' he said.) Tj
T* ( `You'd pull one strand out and figure, "OK, that is what that thing) Tj
T* ( does." But then you'd be faced with the rest of the tangled mess in) Tj
T* ( the bowl.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The program, in digital command language, or DCL, wasn't written like) Tj
T* ( a normal program in a nice organised fashion. It was all over the) Tj
T* ( place. John worked his way down ten or fifteen lines of computer code) Tj
T* ( only to have to jump to the top of the program to figure out what the) Tj
T* ( next section was trying to do. He took notes and slowly, patiently) Tj
T* ( began to build up a picture of exactly what this worm was capable of) Tj
T* ( doing to NASA's computer system.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was a big day for the anti-nuclear groups at the Kennedy Space) Tj
T* ( Center. They might have lost their bid in the US District Court, but) Tj
T* ( they refused to throw in the towel and took their case to the US Court) Tj
T* ( of Appeals.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 16 October the news came. The Appeals Court had sided with NASA.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Protesters were out in force again at the front gate of the Kennedy) Tj
T* ( Space Center. At least eight of them were arrested. The St Louis) Tj
T* ( Post-Dispatch carried an Agence France-Presse picture of an) Tj
T* ( 80-year-old woman being taken into custody by police for trespassing.) Tj
T* ( Jane Brown, of the Florida Coalition for Peace and Justice, announced,) Tj
T* ( `This is just ... the beginning of the government's plan to use) Tj
T* ( nuclear power and weapons in space, including the Star Wars program'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Inside the Kennedy Center, things were not going all that smoothly) Tj
T* ( either. Late Monday, NASA's technical experts discovered yet another) Tj
T* ( problem. The black box which gathered speed and other important data) Tj
T* ( for the space shuttle's navigation system was faulty. The technicians) Tj
T* ( were replacing the cockpit device, the agency's spokeswoman assured) Tj
T* ( the media, and NASA was not expecting to delay the Tuesday launch) Tj
T* ( date. The countdown would continue uninterrupted. NASA had everything) Tj
T* ( under control.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Everything except the weather.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the wake of the Challenger disaster, NASA's guidelines for a launch) Tj
T* ( decision were particularly tough. Bad weather was an unnecessary risk,) Tj
T* ( but NASA was not expecting bad weather. Meteorologists predicted an 80) Tj
T* ( per cent chance of favourable weather at launch time on Tuesday. But) Tj
T* ( the shuttle had better go when it was supposed to, because the longer) Tj
T* ( term weather outlook was grim.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By Tuesday morning, Galileo's keepers were holding their breath. The) Tj
T* ( countdown for the shuttle launch was ticking toward 12.57 p.m. The) Tj
T* ( anti-nuclear protesters seemed to have gone quiet. Things looked) Tj
T* ( hopeful. Galileo might finally go.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then, about ten minutes before the launch time, the security alarms) Tj
T* ( went off. Someone had broken into the compound. The security teams) Tj
T* ( swung into action, quickly locating the guilty intruder ... a feral) Tj
T* ( pig.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( With the pig safely removed, the countdown rolled on. And so did the) Tj
T* ( rain clouds, gliding toward the space shuttle's emergency runway, about) Tj
T* ( six kilometres from the launchpad. NASA launch director Robert Sieck) Tj
T* ( prolonged a planned `hold' at T minus nine minutes. Atlantis had a) Tj
T* ( 26-minute window of opportunity. After that, its launch period would) Tj
T* ( expire and take-off would have to be postponed, probably until) Tj
T* ( Wednesday.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The weather wasn't going to budge.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At 1.18 p.m., with Atlantis's countdown now holding at just T minus) Tj
T* ( five minutes, Sieck postponed the launch to Wednesday.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Back at the SPAN centre, things were becoming hectic. The worm was) Tj
T* ( spreading through more and more systems and the phones were beginning) Tj
T* ( to ring every few minutes. NASA computers were getting hit all over) Tj
T* ( the place.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The SPAN project staff needed more arms. They were simultaneously) Tj
T* ( trying to calm callers and concentrate on developing an analysis of) Tj
T* ( the alien program. Was the thing a practical joke or a time bomb just) Tj
ET
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T* ( waiting to go off? Who was behind this?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( NASA was working in an information void when it came to WANK. Some) Tj
T* ( staff knew of the protesters' action down at the Space Center, but) Tj
T* ( nothing could have prepared them for this. NASA officials were) Tj
T* ( confident enough about a link between the protests against Galileo and) Tj
T* ( the attack on NASA's computers to speculate publicly that the two were) Tj
T* ( related. It seemed a reasonable likelihood, but there were still) Tj
T* ( plenty of unanswered questions.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Callers coming into the SPAN office were worried. People at the other) Tj
T* ( end of the phone were scared. Many of the calls came from network) Tj
T* ( managers who took care of a piece of SPAN at a specific NASA site, such) Tj
T* ( as the Marshall Space Flight Center. Some were panicking; others spoke) Tj
T* ( in a sort of monotone, flattened by a morning of calls from 25 different) Tj
T* ( hysterical system administrators. A manager could lose his job over) Tj
T* ( something like this.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Most of the callers to the SPAN head office were starved for) Tj
T* ( information. How did this rogue worm get into their computers? Was it) Tj
T* ( malicious? Would it destroy all the scientific data it came into contact) Tj
T* ( with? What could be done to kill it?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( NASA stored a great deal of valuable information on its SPAN) Tj
T* ( computers. None of it was supposed to be classified, but the data on) Tj
T* ( those computers is extremely valuable. Millions of man-hours go into) Tj
T* ( gathering and analysing it. So the crisis team which had formed in the) Tj
T* ( NASA SPAN project office, was alarmed when reports of massive data) Tj
T* ( destruction starting coming in. People were phoning to say that the) Tj
T* ( worm was erasing files.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was every computer manager's worst nightmare, and it looked as) Tj
T* ( though the crisis team's darkest fears were about to be confirmed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Yet the worm was behaving inconsistently. On some computers it would) Tj
T* ( only send anonymous messages, some of them funny, some bizarre and a) Tj
T* ( few quite rude or obscene. No sooner would a user login than a message) Tj
T* ( would flash across his or her screen:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Remember, even if you win the rat race--you're) Tj
T* ( still a rat.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Or perhaps they were graced with some bad humour:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Nothing is faster than the speed of light...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To prove this to yourself, try opening the refrigerator door before) Tj
T* ( the light comes on.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Other users were treated to anti-authoritarian observations of the) Tj
T* ( paranoid:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The FBI is watching YOU.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( or) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Vote anarchist.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But the worm did not appear to be erasing files on these systems.) Tj
T* ( Perhaps the seemingly random file-erasing trick was a portent of) Tj
ET
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T* ( things to come--just a small taste of what might happen at a) Tj
T* ( particular time, such as midnight. Perhaps an unusual keystroke by an) Tj
T* ( unwitting computer user on those systems which seemed only mildly) Tj
T* ( affected could trigger something in the worm. One keystroke might) Tj
T* ( begin an irreversible chain of commands to erase everything on that) Tj
T* ( system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The NASA SPAN computer team were in a race with the worm. Each minute) Tj
T* ( they spent trying to figure out what it did, the worm was pushing) Tj
T* ( forward, ever deeper into NASA's computer network. Every hour NASA) Tj
T* ( spent developing a cure, the worm spent searching, probing, breaking) Tj
T* ( and entering. A day's delay in getting the cure out to all the systems) Tj
T* ( could mean dozens of new worm invasions doing God knows what in) Tj
T* ( vulnerable computers. The SPAN team had to dissect this thing) Tj
T* ( completely, and they had to do it fast.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Some computer network managers were badly shaken. The SPAN office) Tj
T* ( received a call from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratories in California,) Tj
T* ( an important NASA centre with 6500 employees and close ties to) Tj
T* ( California Institute of Technology \(Caltech\).) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( JPL was pulling itself off the network.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This worm was too much of a risk. The only safe option was to isolate) Tj
T* ( their computers. There would be no SPAN DEC-based communications with) Tj
T* ( the rest of NASA until the crisis was under control. This made things) Tj
T* ( harder for the SPAN team; getting a worm exterminating program out to) Tj
T* ( JPL, like other sites which had cut their connection to SPAN, was) Tj
T* ( going to be that much tougher. Everything had to be done over the) Tj
T* ( phone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Worse, JPL was one of five routing centres for NASA's SPAN computer) Tj
T* ( network. It was like the centre of a wheel, with a dozen spokes) Tj
T* ( branching off--each leading to another SPAN site. All these places,) Tj
T* ( known as tailsites, depended on the lab site for their connections) Tj
T* ( into SPAN. When JPL pulled itself off the network, the tailsites went) Tj
T* ( down too.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was a serious problem for the people in the SPAN office back in) Tj
T* ( Virginia. To Ron Tencati, head of security for NASA SPAN, taking a) Tj
T* ( routing centre off-line was a major issue. But his hands were tied.) Tj
T* ( The SPAN office exercised central authority over the wide area) Tj
T* ( network, but it couldn't dictate how individual field centres dealt) Tj
T* ( with the worm. That was each centre's own decision. The SPAN team) Tj
T* ( could only give them advice and rush to develop a way to poison the) Tj
T* ( worm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The SPAN office called John McMahon again, this time with a more) Tj
T* ( urgent request. Would he come over to help handle the crisis?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The SPAN centre was only 800 metres away from McMahon's office. His) Tj
T* ( boss, Jerome Bennett, the DECNET protocol manager, gave the nod.) Tj
T* ( McMahon would be on loan until the crisis was under control.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When he got to Building 26, home of the NASA SPAN project office,) Tj
T* ( McMahon became part of a core NASA crisis team including Todd Butler,) Tj
T* ( Ron Tencati and Pat Sisson. Other key NASA people jumped in when) Tj
T* ( needed, such as Dave Peters and Dave Stern. Jim Green, the head of the) Tj
T* ( National Space Science Data Center at Goddard and the absolute boss of) Tj
T* ( SPAN, wanted hourly reports on the crisis. At first the core team) Tj
ET
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T* ( seemed only to include NASA people and to be largely based at Goddard.) Tj
T* ( But as the day wore on, new people from other parts of the US) Tj
T* ( government would join the team.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The worm had spread outside NASA.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It had also attacked the US Department of Energy's worldwide) Tj
T* ( High-Energy Physics' Network of computers. Known as HEPNET, it was) Tj
T* ( another piece of the overall SPAN network, along with Euro-HEPNET and) Tj
T* ( Euro-SPAN. The NASA and DOE computer networks of DEC computers) Tj
T* ( crisscrossed at a number of places. A research laboratory might, for) Tj
T* ( example, need to have access to computers from both HEPNET and NASA) Tj
T* ( SPAN. For convenience, the lab might just connect the two networks.) Tj
T* ( The effect as far as the worm was concerned was that NASA's SPAN and) Tj
T* ( DOE's HEPNET were in fact just one giant computer network, all of) Tj
T* ( which the worm could invade.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Department of Energy keeps classified information on its) Tj
T* ( computers. Very classified information. There are two groups in DOE:) Tj
T* ( the people who do research on civilian energy projects and the people) Tj
T* ( who make atomic bombs. So DOE takes security seriously, as in `threat) Tj
T* ( to national security' seriously. Although HEPNET wasn't meant to be) Tj
T* ( carrying any classified information across its wires, DOE responded) Tj
T* ( with military efficiency when its computer managers discovered the) Tj
T* ( invader. They grabbed the one guy who knew a lot about computer) Tj
T* ( security on VMS systems and put him on the case: Kevin Oberman.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Like McMahon, Oberman wasn't formally part of the computer security) Tj
T* ( staff. He had simply become interested in computer security and was) Tj
T* ( known in-house as someone who knew about VMS systems and security.) Tj
T* ( Officially, his job was network manager for the engineering department) Tj
T* ( at the DOE-financed Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, or LLNL,) Tj
T* ( near San Francisco.**) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( LLNL conducted mostly military research, much of it for the Strategic) Tj
T* ( Defense Initiative. Many LLNL scientists spent their days designing) Tj
T* ( nuclear arms and developing beam weapons for the Star Wars program.9) Tj
T* ( DOE already had a computer security group, known as CIAC, the Computer) Tj
T* ( Incident Advisory Capability. But the CIAC team tended to be experts) Tj
T* ( in security issues surrounding Unix rather than VMS-based computer) Tj
T* ( systems and networks. `Because there had been very few security) Tj
T* ( problems over the years with VMS,' Oberman concluded, `they had never) Tj
T* ( brought in anybody who knew about VMS and it wasn't something they) Tj
T* ( were terribly concerned with at the time.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The worm shattered that peaceful confidence in VMS computers. Even as) Tj
T* ( the WANK worm coursed through NASA, it was launching an aggressive) Tj
T* ( attack on DOE's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, near Chicago. It) Tj
T* ( had broken into a number of computer systems there and the Fermilab) Tj
T* ( people were not happy. They called in CIAC, who contacted Oberman with) Tj
T* ( an early morning phone call on 16 October. They wanted him to analyse) Tj
T* ( the WANK worm. They wanted to know how dangerous it was. Most of all,) Tj
T* ( they wanted to know what to do about it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The DOE people traced their first contact with the worm back to 14) Tj
T* ( October. Further, they hypothesised, the worm had actually been) Tj
T* ( launched the day before, on Friday the 13th. Such an inauspicious day) Tj
T* ( would, in Oberman's opinion, have been in keeping with the type of) Tj
T* ( humour exhibited by the creator or creators of the worm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Oberman began his own analysis of the worm, oblivious to the fact that) Tj
T* ( 3200 kilometres away, on the other side of the continent, his colleague) Tj
T* ( and acquaintance John McMahon was doing exactly the same thing.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Every time McMahon answered a phone call from an irate NASA system or) Tj
T* ( network manager, he tried to get a copy of the worm from the infected) Tj
T* ( machine. He also asked for the logs from their computer systems. Which) Tj
T* ( computer had the worm come from? Which systems was it attacking from) Tj
T* ( the infected site? In theory, the logs would allow the NASA team to) Tj
T* ( map the worm's trail. If the team could find the managers of those) Tj
T* ( systems in the worm's path, it could warn them of the impending) Tj
T* ( danger. It could also alert the people who ran recently infected) Tj
T* ( systems which had become launchpads for new worm attacks.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This wasn't always possible. If the worm had taken over a computer and) Tj
T* ( was still running on it, then the manager would only be able to trace) Tj
T* ( the worm backward, not forward. More importantly, a lot of the) Tj
T* ( managers didn't keep extensive logs on their computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon had always felt it was important to gather lots of information) Tj
T* ( about who was connecting to a computer. In his previous job, he had) Tj
T* ( modified his machines so they collected as much security information) Tj
T* ( as possible about their connections to other computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( VMS computers came with a standard set of alarms, but McMahon didn't) Tj
T* ( think they were thorough enough. The VMS alarms tended to send a) Tj
T* ( message to the computer managers which amounted to, `Hi! You just got) Tj
T* ( a network connection from here'. The modified alarm system said, `Hi!) Tj
T* ( You just got a network connection from here. The person at the other) Tj
T* ( end is doing a file transfer' and any other bits and pieces of) Tj
T* ( information that McMahon's computer could squeeze out of the other) Tj
T* ( computer. Unfortunately, a lot of other NASA computer and network) Tj
T* ( managers didn't share this enthusiasm for audit logs. Many did not) Tj
T* ( keep extensive records of who had been accessing their machines and) Tj
T* ( when, which made the job of chasing the worm much tougher.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The SPAN office was, however, trying to keep very good logs on which) Tj
T* ( NASA computers had succumbed to the worm. Every time a NASA manager) Tj
T* ( called to report a worm disturbance, one of the team members wrote) Tj
T* ( down the details with paper and pen. The list, outlining the addresses) Tj
T* ( of the affected computers and detailed notations of the degree of) Tj
T* ( infection, would also be recorded on a computer. But handwritten lists) Tj
T* ( were a good safeguard. The worm couldn't delete sheets of paper.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When McMahon learned DOE was also under attack, he began checking in) Tj
T* ( with them every three hours or so. The two groups swapped lists of) Tj
T* ( infected computers by telephone because voice, like the handwritten) Tj
T* ( word, was a worm-free medium. `It was a kind of archaic system, but on) Tj
T* ( the other hand we didn't have to depend on the network being up,') Tj
T* ( McMahon said. `We needed to have some chain of communications which) Tj
T* ( was not the same as the network being attacked.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A number of the NASA SPAN team members had developed contacts within) Tj
T* ( different parts of DEC through the company's users' society, DECUS.) Tj
T* ( These contacts were to prove very helpful. It was easy to get lost in) Tj
T* ( the bureaucracy of DEC, which employed more than 125000 people, posted) Tj
T* ( a billion-dollar profit and declared revenues in excess of $12 billion) Tj
T* ( in 1989.10 Such an enormous and prestigious company would not want) Tj
T* ( to face a crisis such as the WANK worm, particularly in such a) Tj
T* ( publicly visible organisation like NASA. Whether or not the worm's) Tj
ET
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T* ( successful expedition could be blamed on DEC's software was a moot) Tj
T* ( point. Such a crisis was, well, undesirable. It just didn't look good.) Tj
T* ( And it mightn't look so good either if DEC just jumped into the fray.) Tj
T* ( It might look like the company was in some way at fault.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Things were different, however, if someone already had a relationship) Tj
T* ( with a technical expert inside the company. It wasn't like NASA) Tj
T* ( manager cold-calling a DEC guy who sold a million dollars worth of) Tj
T* ( machines to someone else in the agency six months ago. It was the NASA) Tj
T* ( guy calling the DEC guy he sat next to at the conference last month.) Tj
T* ( It was a colleague the NASA manager chatted with now and again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( John McMahon's analysis suggested there were three versions of the WANK) Tj
T* ( worm. These versions, isolated from worm samples collected from the) Tj
T* ( network, were very similar, but each contained a few subtle) Tj
T* ( differences. In McMahon's view, these differences could not be explained) Tj
T* ( by the way the worm recreated itself at each site in order to) Tj
T* ( spread. But why would the creator of the worm release different) Tj
T* ( versions? Why not just write one version properly and fire it off? The) Tj
T* ( worm wasn't just one incoming missile; it was a frenzied attack. It was) Tj
T* ( coming from all directions, at all sorts of different levels within) Tj
T* ( NASA's computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon guessed that the worm's designer had released the different) Tj
T* ( versions at slightly different times. Maybe the creator released the) Tj
T* ( worm, and then discovered a bug. He fiddled with the worm a bit to) Tj
T* ( correct the problem and then released it again. Maybe he didn't like) Tj
T* ( the way he had fixed the bug the first time, so he changed it a little) Tj
T* ( more and released it a third time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In northern California, Kevin Oberman came to a different conclusion.) Tj
T* ( He believed there was in fact only one real version of the worm) Tj
T* ( spiralling through HEPNET and SPAN. The small variations in the) Tj
T* ( different copies he dissected seemed to stem from the worm's ability) Tj
T* ( to learn and change as it moved from computer to computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon and Oberman weren't the only detectives trying to decipher the) Tj
T* ( various manifestations of the worm. DEC was also examining the worm,) Tj
T* ( and with good reason. The WANK worm had invaded the corporation's own) Tj
T* ( network. It had been discovered snaking its way through DEC's own) Tj
T* ( private computer network, Easynet, which connected DEC manufacturing) Tj
T* ( plants, sales offices and other company sites around the world. DEC) Tj
T* ( was circumspect about discussing the matter publicly, but the Easynet) Tj
T* ( version of the WANK worm was definitely distinct. It had a strange) Tj
T* ( line of code in it, a line missing from any other versions. The worm) Tj
T* ( was under instructions to invade as many sites as it could, with one) Tj
T* ( exception. Under no circumstances was it to attack computers inside) Tj
T* ( DEC's area 48. The NASA team mulled over this information. One of them) Tj
T* ( looked up area 48. It was New Zealand.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( New Zealand?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The NASA team were left scratching their heads. This attack was) Tj
T* ( getting stranger by the minute. Just when it seemed that the SPAN team) Tj
T* ( members were travelling down the right path toward an answer at the) Tj
T* ( centre of the maze of clues, they turned a corner and found themselves) Tj
T* ( hopelessly lost again. Then someone pointed out that New Zealand's) Tj
T* ( worldwide claim to fame was that it was a nuclear-free zone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In 1986, New Zealand announced it would refuse to admit to its ports) Tj
ET
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T* ( any US ships carrying nuclear arms or powered by nuclear energy. The) Tj
T* ( US retaliated by formally suspending its security obligations to the) Tj
T* ( South Pacific nation. If an unfriendly country invaded New Zealand,) Tj
T* ( the US would feel free to sit on its hands. The US also cancelled) Tj
T* ( intelligence sharing practices and joint military exercises.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Many people in Australia and New Zealand thought the US had) Tj
T* ( overreacted. New Zealand hadn't expelled the Americans; it had simply) Tj
T* ( refused to allow its population to be exposed to nuclear arms or) Tj
T* ( power. In fact, New Zealand had continued to allow the Americans to) Tj
T* ( run their spy base at Waihopai, even after the US suspension. The) Tj
T* ( country wasn't anti-US, just anti-nuclear.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And New Zealand had very good reason to be anti-nuclear. For years, it) Tj
T* ( had put up with France testing nuclear weapons in the Pacific. Then in) Tj
T* ( July 1985 the French blew up the Greenpeace anti-nuclear protest ship) Tj
T* ( as it sat in Auckland harbour. The Rainbow Warrior was due to sail for) Tj
T* ( Mururoa Atoll, the test site, when French secret agents bombed the) Tj
T* ( ship, killing Greenpeace activist Fernando Pereira.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For weeks, France denied everything. When the truth came out--that) Tj
T* ( President Mitterand himself had known about the bombing plan--the) Tj
T* ( French were red-faced. Heads rolled. French Defence Minister Charles) Tj
T* ( Hernu was forced to resign. Admiral Pierre Lacoste, director of) Tj
T* ( France's intelligence and covert action bureau, was sacked. France) Tj
T* ( apologised and paid $NZ13 million compensation in exchange for New) Tj
T* ( Zealand handing back the two saboteurs, who had each been sentenced to) Tj
T* ( ten years' prison in Auckland.) Tj
T* ( ++) Tj
T* ( As part of the deal, France had promised to keep the agents) Tj
T* ( incarcerated for three years at the Hao atoll French military base.) Tj
T* ( Both agents walked free by May 1988 after serving less than two years.) Tj
T* ( After her return to France, one of the agents, Captain Dominique) Tj
T* ( Prieur, was promoted to the rank of commandant.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally, McMahon thought. Something that made sense. The exclusion of) Tj
T* ( New Zealand appeared to underline the meaning of the worm's political) Tj
T* ( message.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When the WANK worm invaded a computer system, it had instructions to) Tj
T* ( copy itself and send that copy out to other machines. It would slip) Tj
T* ( through the network and when it came upon a computer attached to the) Tj
T* ( network, it would poke around looking for a way in. What it really) Tj
T* ( wanted was to score a computer account with privileges, but it would) Tj
T* ( settle for a basic-level, user-level account.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( VMS systems have accounts with varying levels of privilege. A) Tj
T* ( high-privilege account holder might, for example, be able to read the) Tj
T* ( electronic mail of another computer user or delete files from that) Tj
T* ( user's directory. He or she might also be allowed to create new) Tj
T* ( computer accounts on the system, or reactivate disabled accounts. A) Tj
T* ( privileged account holder might also be able to change someone else's) Tj
T* ( password. The people who ran computer systems or networks needed) Tj
T* ( accounts with the highest level of privilege in order to keep the) Tj
T* ( system running smoothly. The worm specifically sought out these sorts) Tj
T* ( of accounts because its creator knew that was where the power lay.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The worm was smart, and it learned as it went along. As it traversed) Tj
T* ( the network, it created a masterlist of commonly used account names.) Tj
T* ( First, it tried to copy the list of computer users from a system it) Tj
ET
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T* ( had not yet penetrated. It wasn't always able to do this, but often) Tj
T* ( the system security was lax enough for it to be successful. The worm) Tj
T* ( then compared that list to the list of users on its current host. When) Tj
T* ( it found a match--an account name common to both lists--the worm added) Tj
T* ( that name to the masterlist it carried around inside it, making a note) Tj
T* ( to try that account when breaking into a new system in future.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was a clever method of attack, for the worm's creator knew that) Tj
T* ( certain accounts with the highest privileges were likely to have) Tj
T* ( standard names, common across different machines. Accounts with names) Tj
T* ( such as `SYSTEM', `DECNET' and `FIELD' with standard passwords such as) Tj
T* ( `SYSTEM' and `DECNET' were often built into a computer before it was) Tj
T* ( shipped from the manufacturer. If the receiving computer manager) Tj
T* ( didn't change the pre-programmed account and password, then his) Tj
T* ( computer would have a large security hole waiting to be exploited.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The worm's creator could guess some of the names of these) Tj
T* ( manufacturer's accounts, but not all of them. By endowing the worm) Tj
T* ( with an ability to learn, he gave it far more power. As the worm) Tj
T* ( spread, it became more and more intelligent. As it reproduced, its) Tj
T* ( offspring evolved into ever more advanced creatures, increasingly) Tj
T* ( successful at breaking into new systems.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When McMahon performed an autopsy on one of the worm's progeny, he was) Tj
T* ( impressed with what he found. Slicing the worm open and inspecting its) Tj
T* ( entrails, he discovered an extensive collection of generic privileged) Tj
T* ( accounts across the SPAN network. In fact, the worm wasn't only picking) Tj
T* ( up the standard VMS privileged accounts; it had learned accounts common) Tj
T* ( to NASA but not necessarily to other VMS computers. For example, a lot) Tj
T* ( of NASA sites which ran a type of TCP/IP mailer that needed either a) Tj
T* ( POSTMASTER or a MAILER account. John saw those names turn up inside the) Tj
T* ( worm's progeny.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Even if it only managed to break into an unprivileged account, the) Tj
T* ( worm would use the account as an incubator. The worm replicated and) Tj
T* ( then attacked other computers in the network. As McMahon and the rest) Tj
T* ( of the SPAN team continued to pick apart the rest of the worm's code) Tj
T* ( to figure out exactly what the creature would do if it got into a) Tj
T* ( fully privileged account, they found more evidence of the dark sense) Tj
T* ( of humour harboured by the hacker behind the worm. Part of the worm, a) Tj
T* ( subroutine, was named `find fucked'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The SPAN team tried to give NASA managers calling in as much) Tj
T* ( information as they could about the worm. It was the best way to help) Tj
T* ( computer managers, isolated in their offices around the country, to) Tj
T* ( regain a sense of control over the crisis.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Like all the SPAN team, McMahon tried to calm the callers down and) Tj
T* ( walk them through a set a questions designed to determine the extent) Tj
T* ( of the worm's control over their systems. First, he asked them what) Tj
T* ( symptoms their systems were showing. In a crisis situation, when) Tj
T* ( you're holding a hammer, everything looks like a nail. McMahon wanted) Tj
T* ( to make sure that the problems on the system were in fact caused by) Tj
T* ( the worm and not something else entirely.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If the only problem seemed to be mysterious comments flashing across) Tj
T* ( the screen, McMahon concluded that the worm was probably harassing the) Tj
T* ( staff on that computer from a neighbouring system which it had) Tj
T* ( successfully invaded. The messages suggested that the recipients') Tj
T* ( accounts had not been hijacked by the worm. Yet.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( VAX/VMS machines have a feature called Phone, which is useful for) Tj
T* ( on-line communications. For example, a NASA scientist could `ring up') Tj
T* ( one of his colleagues on a different computer and have a friendly chat) Tj
T* ( on-line. The chat session is live, but it is conducted by typing on) Tj
T* ( the computer screen, not `voice'. The VMS Phone facility enabled the) Tj
T* ( worm to send messages to users. It would simply call them using the) Tj
T* ( phone protocol. But instead of starting a chat session, it sent them) Tj
T* ( statements from what was later determined to be the aptly named) Tj
T* ( Fortune Cookie file--a collection of 60 or so pre-programmed comments.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In some cases, where the worm was really bugging staff, McMahon told) Tj
T* ( the manager at the other end of the phone to turn the computer's Phone) Tj
T* ( feature off. A few managers complained and McMahon gave them the) Tj
T* ( obvious ultimatum: choose Phone or peace. Most chose peace.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When McMahon finished his preliminary analysis, he had good news and) Tj
T* ( bad news. The good news was that, contrary to what the worm was) Tj
T* ( telling computer users all over NASA, it was not actually deleting) Tj
T* ( their files. It was just pretending to delete their data. One big) Tj
T* ( practical joke. To the creator of the worm anyway. To the NASA) Tj
T* ( scientists, just a headache and heartache. And occasionally a heart) Tj
T* ( attack.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The bad news was that, when the worm got control over a privileged) Tj
T* ( account, it would help someone--presumably its creator--perpetrate an) Tj
T* ( even more serious break-in at NASA. The worm sought out the FIELD) Tj
T* ( account created by the manufacturer and, if it had been turned off,) Tj
T* ( tried to reactivate the account and install the password FIELD. The) Tj
T* ( worm was also programmed to change the password for the standard) Tj
T* ( account named DECNET to a random string of at least twelve characters.) Tj
T* ( In short, the worm tried to pry open a backdoor to the system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The worm sent information about accounts it had successfully broken) Tj
T* ( into back to a type of electronic mailbox--an account called GEMPAK on) Tj
T* ( SPAN node 6.59. Presumably, the hacker who created the worm would) Tj
T* ( check the worm's mailbox for information which he could use to break) Tj
T* ( into the NASA account at a later date. Not surprisingly, the mailboxes) Tj
T* ( had been surreptitiously `borrowed' by the hacker, much to the) Tj
T* ( surprise of the legitimate owners.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A computer hacker created a whole new set of problems. Although the) Tj
T* ( worm was able to break into new accounts with greater speed and reach) Tj
T* ( than a single hacker, it was more predictable. Once the SPAN and DOE) Tj
T* ( teams picked the worm apart, they would know exactly what it could be) Tj
T* ( expected to do. However, a hacker was utterly unpredictable.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon realised that killing off the worm was not going to solve the) Tj
T* ( problem. All the system managers across the NASA and DOE networks) Tj
T* ( would have to change all the passwords of the accounts used by the) Tj
T* ( worm. They would also have to check every system the worm had invaded) Tj
T* ( to see if it had built a backdoor for the hacker. The system admin had) Tj
T* ( to shut and lock all the backdoors, no small feat.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What really scared the SPAN team about the worm, however, was that it) Tj
T* ( was rampaging through NASA simply by using the simplest of attack) Tj
T* ( strategies: username equals password. It was getting complete control) Tj
T* ( over NASA computers simply by trying a password which was identical to) Tj
T* ( the name of the computer user's account.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( The SPAN team didn't want to believe it, but the evidence was) Tj
T* ( overwhelming.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Todd Butler answered a call from one NASA site. It was a gloomy call.) Tj
T* ( He hung up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `That node just got hit,' he told the team.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `How bad?' McMahon asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `A privileged account.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh boy.' McMahon jumped onto one of the terminals and did a SET HOST,) Tj
T* ( logging into the remote NASA site's machine. Bang. Up it came. `Your) Tj
T* ( system has officially been WANKED.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon turned to Butler. `What account did it get into?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `They think it was SYSTEM.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The tension quietly rolled into black humour. The team couldn't help) Tj
T* ( it. The head-slapping stupidity of the situation could only be viewed) Tj
T* ( as black comedy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The NASA site had a password of SYSTEM for their fully privileged) Tj
T* ( SYSTEM account. It was so unforgivable. NASA, potentially the greatest) Tj
T* ( single collection of technical minds on Earth, had such lax computer) Tj
T* ( security that a computer-literate teenager could have cracked it wide) Tj
T* ( open. The tall poppy was being cut down to size by a computer program) Tj
T* ( resembling a bowl of spaghetti.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The first thing any computer system manager learns in Computer) Tj
T* ( Security 101 is never to use the same password as the username. It was) Tj
T* ( bad enough that naive users might fall into this trap ... but a) Tj
T* ( computer system manager with a fully privileged account.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Was the hacker behind the worm malevolent? Probably not. If its) Tj
T* ( creator had wanted to, he could have programmed the WANK worm to) Tj
T* ( obliterate NASA's files. It could have razed everything in sight.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In fact, the worm was less infectious than its author appeared to) Tj
T* ( desire. The WANK worm had been instructed to perform) Tj
T* ( several tasks which it didn't execute. Important parts of the worm) Tj
T* ( simply didn't work. McMahon believed this failure to be accidental.) Tj
T* ( For example, his analysis showed the worm was programmed to break into) Tj
T* ( accounts by trying no password, if the account holder had left the) Tj
T* ( password blank. When he disassembled the worm, however, he found that) Tj
T* ( part of the program didn't work properly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Nonetheless, the fragmented and partly dysfunctional WANK worm was) Tj
T* ( causing a major crisis inside several US government agencies. The) Tj
T* ( thing which really worried John was thinking about what a seasoned DCL) Tj
T* ( programmer with years of VMS experience could do with such a worm.) Tj
T* ( Someone like that could do a lot of malicious damage. And what if the) Tj
T* ( WANK worm was just a dry run for something more serious down the) Tj
T* ( track? It was scary to contemplate.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Even though the WANK worm did not seem to be intentionally evil, the) Tj
T* ( SPAN team faced some tough times. McMahon's analysis turned up yet) Tj
T* ( more alarming aspects to the worm. If it managed to break into the) Tj
ET
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T* ( SYSTEM account, a privileged account, it would block all electronic) Tj
T* ( mail deliveries to the system administrator. The SPAN office would not) Tj
T* ( be able to send electronic warnings or advice on how to deal with the) Tj
T* ( worm to systems which had already been seized. This problem was) Tj
T* ( exacerbated by the lack of good information available to the project) Tj
T* ( office on which systems were connected to SPAN. The only way to help) Tj
T* ( people fighting this bushfire was to telephone them, but in many) Tj
T* ( instances the main SPAN office didn't know who to call. The SPAN team) Tj
T* ( could only hope that those administrators who had the phone number of) Tj
T* ( SPAN headquarters pinned up near their computers would call when their) Tj
T* ( computers came under attack.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon's preliminary report outlined how much damage the worm could) Tj
T* ( do in its own right. But it was impossible to measure how much damage) Tj
T* ( human managers would do to their own systems because of the worm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One frantic computer manager who phoned the SPAN office refused to) Tj
T* ( believe John's analysis that the worm only pretended to erase data. He) Tj
T* ( claimed that the worm had not only attacked his system, it had) Tj
T* ( destroyed it. `He just didn't believe us when we told him that the) Tj
T* ( worm was mostly a set of practical jokes,' McMahon said. `He) Tj
T* ( reinitialised his system.' `Reinitialised' as in started up his system) Tj
T* ( with a clean slate. As in deleted everything on the infected) Tj
T* ( computer--all the NASA staff's data gone. He actually did what the) Tj
T* ( worm only pretended to do.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The sad irony was that the SPAN team never even got a copy of the data) Tj
T* ( from the manager's system. They were never able to confirm that his) Tj
T* ( machine had even been infected.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( All afternoon McMahon moved back and forth between answering the) Tj
T* ( ever-ringing SPAN phone and writing up NASA's analysis of the worm. He) Tj
T* ( had posted a cryptic electronic message about the attack across the) Tj
T* ( network, and Kevin Oberman had read it. The message had to be) Tj
T* ( circumspect since no-one knew if the creator of the WANK worm was in) Tj
T* ( fact on the network, watching, waiting. A short time later, McMahon) Tj
T* ( and Oberman were on the phone together--voice--sharing their ideas and) Tj
T* ( cross-checking their analysis.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The situation was discouraging. Even if McMahon and Oberman managed to) Tj
T* ( develop a successful program to kill off the worm, the NASA SPAN team) Tj
T* ( faced another daunting task. Getting the worm-killer out to all the) Tj
T* ( NASA sites was going to be much harder than expected because there was) Tj
T* ( no clear, updated map of the SPAN network. Much of NASA didn't like) Tj
T* ( the idea of a centralised map of the SPAN system. McMahon recalled) Tj
T* ( that, some time before the WANK worm attack, a manager had tried to) Tj
T* ( map the system. His efforts had accidentally tripped so many system) Tj
T* ( alarms that he was quietly taken aside and told not to do it again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The result was that in instances where the team had phone contact) Tj
T* ( details for managers, the information was often outdated.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No, he used to work here, but he left over a year ago.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No, we don't have a telephone tree of people to ring if) Tj
T* ( something goes wrong with our computers. There are a whole) Tj
T* ( bunch of people in different places here who handle the) Tj
T* ( computers.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This is what John often heard at the other end of the phone.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The network had grown into a rambling hodgepodge for which there was) Tj
T* ( little central coordination. Worse, a number of computers at different) Tj
T* ( NASA centres across the US had just been tacked onto SPAN without) Tj
T* ( telling the main office at Goddard. People were calling up the ad-hoc) Tj
T* ( crisis centre from computer nodes on the network which didn't even) Tj
T* ( have names. These people had been practising a philosophy known in) Tj
T* ( computer security circles as `security through obscurity'. They) Tj
T* ( figured that if no-one knew their computer system existed--if it) Tj
T* ( didn't have a name, if it wasn't on any list or map of the SPAN) Tj
T* ( network--then it would be protected from hackers and other computer) Tj
T* ( enemies.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon handled a number of phone calls from system managers saying,) Tj
T* ( `There is something strange happening in my system here'. John's most) Tj
T* ( basic question was, `Where is "here"?' And of course if the SPAN) Tj
T* ( office didn't know those computer systems existed, it was a lot harder) Tj
T* ( to warn their managers about the worm. Or tell them how to protect) Tj
T* ( themselves. Or give them a worm-killing program once it was developed.) Tj
T* ( Or help them seal up breached accounts which the worm was feeding back) Tj
T* ( to its creator.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was such a mess. At times, McMahon sat back and considered who) Tj
T* ( might have created this worm. The thing almost looked as though it had) Tj
T* ( been released before it was finished. Its author or authors seemed to) Tj
T* ( have a good collection of interesting ideas about how to solve) Tj
T* ( problems, but they were never properly completed. The worm included a) Tj
T* ( routine for modifying its attack strategy, but the thing was never) Tj
T* ( fully developed. The worm's code didn't have enough error handling in) Tj
T* ( it to ensure the creature's survival for long periods of time. And the) Tj
T* ( worm didn't send the addresses of the accounts it had successfully) Tj
T* ( breached back to the mailbox along with the password and account name.) Tj
T* ( That was really weird. What use was a password and account name) Tj
T* ( without knowing what computer system to use it on?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On the other hand, maybe the creator had done this deliberately. Maybe) Tj
T* ( he had wanted to show the world just how many computers the worm could) Tj
T* ( successfully penetrate. The worm's mail-back program would do this.) Tj
T* ( However, including the address of each infected site would have made) Tj
T* ( the admins' jobs easier. They could simply have used the GEMPAK) Tj
T* ( collection as a hitlist of infected sites which needed to be) Tj
T* ( de-wormed. The possible theories were endless.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There were some points of brilliance in the worm, some things that) Tj
T* ( McMahon had never considered, which was impressive since he knew a lot) Tj
T* ( about how to break into VMS computers. There was also considerable) Tj
T* ( creativity, but there wasn't any consistency. After the worm incident,) Tj
T* ( various computer security experts would hypothesise that the WANK worm) Tj
T* ( had in fact been written by more than one person. But McMahon) Tj
T* ( maintained his view that it was the work of a single hacker.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was as if the creator of the worm started to pursue an idea and) Tj
T* ( then got sidetracked or interrupted. Suddenly he just stopped writing) Tj
T* ( code to implement that idea and started down another path, never again) Tj
T* ( to reach the end. The thing had a schizophrenic structure. It was all) Tj
T* ( over the place.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon wondered if the author had done this on purpose, to make it) Tj
T* ( harder to figure out exactly what the worm was capable of doing.) Tj
T* ( Perhaps, he thought, the code had once been nice and linear and it all) Tj
ET
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T* ( made sense. Then the author chopped it to pieces, moved the middle to) Tj
T* ( the top, the top to the bottom, scrambled up the chunks and strung) Tj
T* ( them all together with a bunch of `GO TO' commands. Maybe the hacker) Tj
T* ( who wrote the worm was in fact a very elegant DCL programmer who) Tj
T* ( wanted the worm to be chaotic in order to protect it. Security through) Tj
T* ( obscurity.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Oberman maintained a different view. He believed the programming style) Tj
T* ( varied so much in different parts that it had to be the product of a) Tj
T* ( number of people. He knew that when computer programmers write code) Tj
T* ( they don't make lots of odd little changes in style for no particular) Tj
T* ( reason.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Kevin Oberman and John McMahon bounced ideas off one another. Both had) Tj
T* ( developed their own analyses. Oberman also brought Mark Kaletka, who) Tj
T* ( managed internal networking at Fermilab, one of HEPNET's largest) Tj
T* ( sites, into the cross-checking process. The worm had a number of) Tj
T* ( serious vulnerabilities, but the problem was finding one, and quickly,) Tj
T* ( which could be used to wipe it out with minimum impact on the besieged) Tj
T* ( computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Whenever a VMS machine starts up an activity, the computer gives it a) Tj
T* ( unique process name. When the worm burrowed into a computer site, one) Tj
T* ( of the first things it did was check that another copy of itself was) Tj
T* ( not already running on that computer. It did this by checking for its) Tj
T* ( own process names. The worm's processes were all called NETW_ followed) Tj
T* ( by a random, four-digit number. If the incoming worm found this) Tj
T* ( process name, it assumed another copy of itself was already running on) Tj
T* ( the computer, so it destroyed itself.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The answer seemed to be a decoy duck. Write a program which pretended) Tj
T* ( to be the worm and install it across all of NASA's vulnerable) Tj
T* ( computers. The first anti-WANK program did just that. It quietly sat) Tj
T* ( on the SPAN computers all day long, posing as a NETW_ process, faking) Tj
T* ( out any real version of the WANK worm which should come along.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Oberman completed an anti-WANK program first and ran it by McMahon. It) Tj
T* ( worked well, but McMahon noticed one large flaw. Oberman's program) Tj
T* ( checked for the NETW_ process name, but it assumed that the worm was) Tj
T* ( running under the SYSTEM group. In most cases, this was true, but it) Tj
T* ( didn't have to be. If the worm was running in another group, Oberman's) Tj
T* ( program would be useless. When McMahon pointed out the flaw, Oberman) Tj
T* ( thought, God, how did I miss that?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon worked up his own version of an anti-WANK) Tj
T* ( program, based on Oberman's program, in preparation for releasing it) Tj
T* ( to NASA.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At the same time, Oberman revised his anti-WANK program for DOE. By) Tj
T* ( Monday night US Eastern Standard Time, Oberman was able to send out an) Tj
T* ( early copy of a vaccine designed to protect computers which hadn't) Tj
T* ( been infected yet, along with an electronic warning about the worm.) Tj
T* ( His first electronic warning, distributed by CIAC, said in part:) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////) Tj
T* ( THE COMPUTER INCIDENT ADVISORY CAPABILITY C I A C) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ADVISORY NOTICE) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The W.COM Worm affecting VAX VMS Systems) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( October 16, 1989 18:37 PSTNumber A-2) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This is a mean bug to kill and could have done a lot of damage.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Since it notifies \(by mail\) someone of each successful penetration and) Tj
T* ( leaves a trapdoor \(the FIELD account\), just killing the bug is not) Tj
T* ( adequate. You must go in and make sure all accounts have passwords and) Tj
T* ( that the passwords are not the same as the account name.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( R. Kevin Oberman) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Advisory Notice) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A worm is attacking NASA's SPAN network via VAX/VMS systems connected) Tj
T* ( to DECnet. It is unclear if the spread of the worm has been checked.) Tj
T* ( It may spread to other systems such as DOE's HEPNET within a few days.) Tj
T* ( VMS system managers should prepare now.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The worm targets VMS machines, and can only be propagated via DECnet.) Tj
T* ( The worm exploits two features of DECnet/VMS in order to propagate) Tj
T* ( itself. The first is the default DECnet account, which is a facility) Tj
T* ( for users who don't have a specific login ID for a machine to have) Tj
T* ( some degree of anonymous access. It uses the default DECnet account to) Tj
T* ( copy itself to a machine, and then uses the `TASK 0' feature of DECnet) Tj
T* ( to invoke the remote copy. It has several other features including a) Tj
T* ( brute force attack.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Once the worm has successfully penetrated your system it will infect) Tj
T* ( .COM files and create new security vulnerabilities. It then seems to) Tj
T* ( broadcast these vulnerabilities to the outside world. It may also) Tj
T* ( damage files as well, either unintentionally or otherwise.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An analysis of the worm appears below and is provided by R. Kevin) Tj
T* ( Oberman of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Included with the) Tj
T* ( analysis is a DCL program that will block the current version of the) Tj
T* ( worm. At least two versions of this worm exist and more may be) Tj
T* ( created. This program should give you enough time to close up obvious) Tj
T* ( security holes. A more thorough DCL program is being written.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If your site could be affected please call CIAC for more details...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Report on the W.COM worm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( R. Kevin Oberman) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Engineering Department) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( October 16, 1989) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The following describes the action of the W.COM worm \(currently based) Tj
T* ( on the examination of the first two incarnations\). The replication) Tj
T* ( technique causes the code to be modified slightly which indicates the) Tj
T* ( source of the attack and learned information.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( All analysis was done with more haste than I care for, but I believe I) Tj
T* ( have all of the basic facts correct. First a description of the) Tj
T* ( program:) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 1. The program assures that it is working in a directory to which the) Tj
T* ( owner \(itself\) has full access \(Read, Write, Execute, and Delete\).) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 2. The program checks to see if another copy is still running. It) Tj
T* ( looks for a process with the first 5 characters of `NETW_'. If such is) Tj
T* ( found, it deletes itself \(the file\) and stops its process.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( NOTE) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A quick check for infection is to look for a process name starting) Tj
T* ( with `NETW_'. This may be done with a SHOW PROCESS command.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 3. The program then changes the default DECNET account password to a) Tj
T* ( random string of at least 12 characters.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 4. Information on the password used to access the system is mailed to) Tj
T* ( the user GEMTOP on SPAN node 6.59. Some versions may have a different) Tj
T* ( address.11) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 5. The process changes its name to `NETW_' followed by a random) Tj
T* ( number.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 6. It then checks to see if it has SYSNAM priv. If so, it defines the) Tj
T* ( system announcement message to be the banner in the program:) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( W O R M S A G A I N S T N U C L E A R K I L L E R S) Tj
T* ( _______________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( \\__ ____________ _____ ________ ____ ____ __ _____/) Tj
T* ( \\ \\ \\ /\\ / / / /\\ \\ | \\ \\ | | | | / / /) Tj
T* ( \\ \\ \\ / \\ / / / /__\\ \\ | |\\ \\ | | | |/ / /) Tj
T* ( \\ \\ \\/ /\\ \\/ / / ______ \\ | | \\ \\| | | |\\ \\ /) Tj
T* ( \\_\\ /__\\ /____/ /______\\ \\____| |__\\ | |____| |_\\ \\_/) Tj
T* ( \\___________________________________________________/) Tj
T* ( \\ /) Tj
T* ( \\ Your System Has Been Officically WANKed /) Tj
T* ( \\_____________________________________________/) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( You talk of times of peace for all, and then prepare for war.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 7. If it has SYSPRV, it disables mail to the SYSTEM account.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 8. If it has SYSPRV, it modifies the system login command procedure to) Tj
T* ( APPEAR to delete all of a user's file. \(It really does nothing.\)) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 9. The program then scans the account's logical name table for command) Tj
T* ( procedures and tries to modify the FIELD account to a known password) Tj
T* ( with login from any source and all privs. This is a primitive virus,) Tj
T* ( but very effective IF it should get into a privileged account.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 10. It proceeds to attempt to access other systems by picking node) Tj
T* ( numbers at random. It then uses PHONE to get a list of active users on) Tj
T* ( the remote system. It proceeds to irritate them by using PHONE to ring) Tj
T* ( them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 11. The program then tries to access the RIGHTSLIST file and attempts) Tj
T* ( to access some remote system using the users found and a list of) Tj
T* ( `standard' users included within the worm. It looks for passwords) Tj
T* ( which are the same as that of the account or are blank. It records all) Tj
T* ( such accounts.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 12. It looks for an account that has access to SYSUAF.DAT.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 13. If a priv. account is found, the program is copied to that account) Tj
T* ( and started. If no priv. account was found, it is copied to other) Tj
T* ( accounts found on the random system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 14. As soon as it finishes with a system, it picks another random) Tj
T* ( system and repeats \(forever\).) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Response:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 1. The following program will block the worm. Extract the following) Tj
T* ( code and execute it. It will use minimal resources. It creates a) Tj
T* ( process named NETW_BLOCK which will prevent the worm from running.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Editors note: This fix will work only with this version of the worm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mutated worms will require modification of this code; however, this) Tj
T* ( program should prevent the worm from running long enough to secure) Tj
T* ( your system from the worms attacks.13) Tj
T* ( ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( ---) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon's version of an anti-WANK program was also ready to go by late) Tj
T* ( Monday, but he would face delays getting it out to NASA. Working inside) Tj
T* ( NASA was a balancing act, a delicate ballet demanding exquisite) Tj
T* ( choreography between getting the job done, following official procedures) Tj
T* ( and avoiding steps which might tread on senior bureaucrats' toes. It was) Tj
T* ( several days before NASA's anti-WANK program was officially released.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( DOE was not without its share of problems in launching the anti-WANK) Tj
T* ( program and advisory across HEPNET. At 5.04 p.m. Pacific Coast Time on) Tj
T* ( 17 October, as Oberman put the final touches on the last paragraph of) Tj
T* ( his final report on the worm, the floor beneath his feet began to) Tj
T* ( shake. The building was trembling. Kevin Oberman was in the middle of) Tj
T* ( the 1989 San Francisco earthquake.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale, the Loma Prieta earthquake ripped) Tj
T* ( through the greater San Francisco area with savage speed. Inside the) Tj
T* ( computer lab, Oberman braced himself for the worst. Once the shaking) Tj
T* ( stopped and he ascertained the computer centre was still standing, he) Tj
T* ( sat back down at his terminal. With the PA blaring warnings for all) Tj
T* ( non-essential personnel to leave the building immediately, Oberman) Tj
T* ( rushed off the last sentence of the report. He paused and then added a) Tj
T* ( postscript saying that if the paragraph didn't make sense, it was) Tj
T* ( because he was a little rattled by the large earthquake which had just) Tj
T* ( hit Lawrence Livermore Labs. He pressed the key, sent out his final) Tj
T* ( anti-WANK report and fled the building.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Back on the east coast, the SPAN office continued to help people) Tj
T* ( calling from NASA sites which had been hit. The list of sites which) Tj
T* ( had reported worm-related problems grew steadily during the week.) Tj
T* ( Official estimates on the scope of the WANK worm attack were vague,) Tj
T* ( but trade journals such as Network World and Computerworld quoted the) Tj
T* ( space agency as suffering only a small number of successful worm) Tj
T* ( invasions, perhaps 60 VMS-based computers. SPAN security manager Ron) Tj
T* ( Tencati estimated only 20 successful worm penetrations in the NASA) Tj
T* ( part of SPAN's network, but another internal estimate put the figure) Tj
ET
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T* ( much higher: 250 to 300 machines. Each of those computers might have) Tj
T* ( had 100 or more users. Figures were sketchy, but virtually everyone on) Tj
T* ( the network--all 270000 computer accounts--had been affected by the) Tj
T* ( worm, either because their part of the network had been pulled) Tj
T* ( off-line or because their machines had been harassed by the WANK worm) Tj
T* ( as it tried again and again to login from an infected machine. By the) Tj
T* ( end of the worm attack, the SPAN office had accumulated a list of) Tj
T* ( affected sites which ran over two columns on several computer screens.) Tj
T* ( Each of them had lodged some form of complaint about the worm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Also by the end of the crisis, NASA and DOE computer network managers) Tj
T* ( had their choice of vaccines, antidotes and blood tests for the WANK) Tj
T* ( worm. McMahon had released ANTIWANK.COM, a program which killed the) Tj
T* ( worm and vaccinated a system against further attacks, and) Tj
T* ( WORM-INFO.TEXT, which provided a list of worm-infestation symptoms.) Tj
T* ( Oberman's program, called [.SECURITY]CHECK_SYSTEM.COM, checked for all) Tj
T* ( the security flaws used by the worm to sneak into a computer system.) Tj
T* ( DEC also had a patch to cover the security hole in the DECNET account.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Whatever the real number of infected machines, the worm had certainly) Tj
T* ( circumnavigated the globe. It had reach into European sites, such as) Tj
T* ( CERN--formerly known as the European Centre for Nuclear Research--in) Tj
T* ( Switzerland, through to Goddard's computers in Maryland, on to) Tj
T* ( Fermilab in Chicago and propelled itself across the Pacific into the) Tj
T* ( Riken Accelerator Facility in Japan.14) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( NASA officials told the media they believed the worm had been launched) Tj
T* ( about 4.30 a.m. on Monday, 16 October.15 They also believed it had) Tj
T* ( originated in Europe, possibly in France.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Wednesday, 18 October 1989) Tj
T* ( Kennedy Space Center, Florida) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The five-member Atlantis had some bad news on Wednesday morning. The) Tj
T* ( weather forecasters gave the launch site a 40 per cent chance of) Tj
T* ( launch guideline-violating rain and cloud. And then there was the) Tj
T* ( earthquake in California.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Kennedy Space Center wasn't the only place which had to be in) Tj
T* ( tip-top working order for a launch to go ahead. The launch depended on) Tj
T* ( many sites far away from Florida. These included Edwards Air Force) Tj
T* ( Base in California, where the shuttle was due to land on Monday. They) Tj
T* ( also included other sites, often military bases, which were essential) Tj
T* ( for shuttle tracking and other mission support. One of these sites was) Tj
T* ( a tracking station at Onizuka Air Force Base at Sunnyvale, California.) Tj
T* ( The earthquake which ripped through the Bay area had damaged the) Tj
T* ( tracking station and senior NASA decision-makers planned to meet on) Tj
T* ( Wednesday morning to consider the Sunnyvale situation. Still, the) Tj
T* ( space agency maintained a calm, cool exterior. Regardless of the) Tj
T* ( technical problems, the court challenges and the protesters, the) Tj
T* ( whimsical weather, the natural disasters, and the WANK worm, NASA was) Tj
T* ( still in control of the situation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `There's been some damage, but we don't know how much. The sense I get) Tj
T* ( is it's fairly positive,' a NASA spokesman told UPI. `But there are) Tj
T* ( some problems.'16 In Washington, Pentagon spokesman Rick Oborn) Tj
T* ( reassured the public again, `They are going to be able to handle) Tj
T* ( shuttle tracking and support for the mission ... They will be able to) Tj
ET
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T* ( do their job'.17) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Atlantis waited, ready to go, at launchpad 39B. The technicians had) Tj
T* ( filled the shuttle up with rocket fuel and it looked as if the weather) Tj
T* ( might hold. It was partly cloudy, but conditions at Kennedy passed) Tj
T* ( muster.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The astronauts boarded the shuttle. Everything was in place.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But while the weather was acceptable in Florida, it was causing some) Tj
T* ( problems in Africa, the site of an emergency landing location. If it) Tj
T* ( wasn't one thing, it was another. NASA ordered a four-minute delay.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally at 12.54 p.m., Atlantis boomed from its launchpad. Rising up) Tj
T* ( from the Kennedy Center, streaking a trail of twin flames from its) Tj
T* ( huge solid-fuel boosters, the shuttle reached above the atmosphere and) Tj
T* ( into space.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At 7.15 p.m., exactly 6 hours and 21 minutes after lift-off, Galileo) Tj
T* ( began its solo journey into space. And at 8.15 p.m., Galileo's booster) Tj
T* ( ignited.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Inside shuttle mission control, NASA spokesman Brian Welch announced,) Tj
T* ( `The spacecraft Galileo ... has achieved Earth escape velocity'.18) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Monday, 30 October 1989) Tj
T* ( NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The week starting 16 October had been a long one for the SPAN team.) Tj
T* ( They were keeping twelve-hour days and dealing with hysterical people) Tj
T* ( all day long. Still, they managed to get copies of anti-WANK out,) Tj
T* ( despite the limitations of the dated SPAN records and the paucity of) Tj
T* ( good logs allowing them to retrace the worm's path. `What we learned) Tj
T* ( that week was just how much data is not collected,' McMahon observed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By Friday, 20 October, there were no new reports of worm attacks. It) Tj
T* ( looked as though the crisis had passed. Things could be tidied up by) Tj
T* ( the rest of the SPAN team and McMahon returned to his own work.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A week passed. All the while, though, McMahon was on edge. He doubted) Tj
T* ( that someone who had gone to all that trouble of creating the WANK) Tj
T* ( worm would let his baby be exterminated so quickly. The decoy-duck) Tj
T* ( strategy only worked as long as the worm kept the same process name,) Tj
T* ( and as long as it was programmed not to activate itself on systems) Tj
T* ( which were already infected. Change the process name, or teach the) Tj
T* ( worm to not to suicide, and the SPAN team would face another, larger) Tj
T* ( problem. John McMahon had an instinct about the worm; it might just) Tj
T* ( be back.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His instinct was right.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The following Monday, McMahon received another phone call from the) Tj
T* ( SPAN project office. When he poked his head in his boss's office,) Tj
T* ( Jerome Bennett looked up from his desk.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `The thing is back,' McMahon told him. There was no need to explain) Tj
T* ( what `the thing' was. `I'm going over to the SPAN office.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Ron Tencati and Todd Butler had a copy of the new WANK worm ready for) Tj
T* ( McMahon. This version of the worm was far more virulent. It copied) Tj
T* ( itself more effectively and therefore moved through the network much) Tj
T* ( faster. The revised worm's penetration rate was much higher--more than) Tj
T* ( four times greater than the version of WANK released in the first) Tj
T* ( attack. The phone was ringing off the hook again. John took a call) Tj
T* ( from one irate manager who launched into a tirade. `I ran your) Tj
T* ( anti-WANK program, followed your instructions to the letter, and look) Tj
T* ( what happened!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The worm had changed its process name. It was also designed to hunt down) Tj
T* ( and kill the decoy-duck program. In fact, the SPAN network was going to) Tj
T* ( turn into a rather bloody battlefield. This worm didn't just kill the) Tj
T* ( decoy, it also killed any other copy of the WANK worm. Even if McMahon) Tj
T* ( changed the process name used by his program, the decoy-duck strategy) Tj
T* ( was not going to work any longer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There were other disturbing improvements to the new version of the) Tj
T* ( WANK worm. Preliminary information suggested it changed the password) Tj
T* ( on any account it got into. This was a problem. But not nearly as big) Tj
T* ( a problem as if the passwords it changed were for the only privileged) Tj
T* ( accounts on the system. The new worm was capable of locking a system) Tj
T* ( manager out of his or her own system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prevented from getting into his own account, the computer manager) Tj
T* ( might try borrowing the account of an average user, call him Edwin.) Tj
T* ( Unfortunately, Edwin's account probably only had low-level privileges.) Tj
T* ( Even in the hands of a skilful computer manager, the powers granted to) Tj
T* ( Edwin's account were likely too limited to eradicate the worm from its) Tj
T* ( newly elevated status as computer manager. The manager might spend his) Tj
T* ( whole morning matching wits with the worm from the disadvantaged) Tj
T* ( position of a normal user's account. At some point he would have to) Tj
T* ( make the tough decision of last resort: turn the entire computer) Tj
T* ( system off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The manager would have to conduct a forced reboot of the machine. Take) Tj
T* ( it down, then bring it back up on minimum configuration. Break back) Tj
T* ( into it. Fix the password which the worm had changed. Logout. Reset) Tj
T* ( some variables. Reboot the machine again. Close up any underlying) Tj
T* ( security holes left behind by the worm. Change any passwords which) Tj
T* ( matched users' names. A cold start of a large VMS machine took time.) Tj
T* ( All the while, the astronomers, physicists and engineers who worked in) Tj
T* ( this NASA office wouldn't be able to work on their computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At least the SPAN team was better prepared for the worm this time.) Tj
T* ( They had braced themselves psychologically for a possible return) Tj
T* ( attack. Contact information for the network had been updated. And the) Tj
T* ( general DECNET internet community was aware of the worm and was) Tj
T* ( lending a hand wherever possible.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Help came from a system manager in France, a country which seemed to) Tj
T* ( be of special interest to the worm's author. The manager, Bernard) Tj
T* ( Perrot of Institut de Physique Nucleaire in Orsay, had obtained a copy) Tj
T* ( of the worm, inspected it and took special notice of the creature's) Tj
T* ( poor error checking ability. This was the worm's true Achilles' heel.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The worm was trained to go after the RIGHTSLIST database, the list of) Tj
T* ( all the people who have accounts on the computer. What if someone) Tj
T* ( moved the database by renaming it and put a dummy database in its) Tj
T* ( place? The worm would, in theory, go after the dummy, which could be) Tj
ET
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T* ( designed with a hidden bomb. When the worm sniffed out the dummy, and) Tj
T* ( latched onto it, the creature would explode and die. If it worked, the) Tj
T* ( SPAN team would not have to depend on the worm killing itself, as they) Tj
T* ( had during the first invasion. They would have the satisfaction of) Tj
T* ( destroying the thing themselves.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Ron Tencati procured a copy of the French manager's worm-killing) Tj
T* ( program and gave it to McMahon, who set up a sort of mini-laboratory) Tj
T* ( experiment. He cut the worm into pieces and extracted the relevant) Tj
T* ( bits. This allowed him to test the French worm-killing program with) Tj
T* ( little risk of the worm escaping and doing damage. The French program) Tj
T* ( worked wonderfully. Out it went. The second version of the worm was so) Tj
T* ( much more virulent, getting it out of SPAN was going to take) Tj
T* ( considerably longer than the first time around. Finally, almost two) Tj
T* ( weeks after the second onslaught, the WANK worm had been eradicated) Tj
T* ( from SPAN.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By McMahon's estimate, the WANK worm had incurred up to half a million) Tj
T* ( dollars in costs. Most of these were through people wasting time and) Tj
T* ( resources chasing the worm instead of doing their normal jobs. The) Tj
T* ( worm was, in his view, a crime of theft. `People's time and resources) Tj
T* ( had been wasted,' he said. `The theft was not the result of the) Tj
T* ( accident. This was someone who deliberately went out to make a mess.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `In general, I support prosecuting people who think breaking into) Tj
T* ( machines is fun. People like that don't seem to understand what kind) Tj
T* ( of side effects that kind of fooling around has. They think that) Tj
T* ( breaking into a machine and not touching anything doesn't do anything.) Tj
T* ( That is not true. You end up wasting people's time. People are dragged) Tj
T* ( into the office at strange hours. Reports have to be written. A lot of) Tj
T* ( yelling and screaming occurs. You have to deal with law enforcement.) Tj
T* ( These are all side effects of someone going for a joy ride in someone) Tj
T* ( else's system, even if they don't do any damage. Someone has to pay) Tj
T* ( the price.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( McMahon never found out who created the WANK worm. Nor did he ever) Tj
T* ( discover what he intended to prove by releasing it. The creator's) Tj
T* ( motives were never clear and, if it had been politically inspired,) Tj
T* ( no-one took credit.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The WANK worm left a number of unanswered questions in its wake, a) Tj
T* ( number of loose ends which still puzzle John McMahon. Was the hacker) Tj
T* ( behind the worm really protesting against NASA's launch of the) Tj
T* ( plutonium-powered Galileo space probe? Did the use of the word) Tj
T* ( `WANK'--a most un-American word--mean the hacker wasn't American? Why) Tj
T* ( had the creator recreated the worm and released it a second time? Why) Tj
T* ( had no-one, no political or other group, claimed responsibility for) Tj
T* ( the WANK worm?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One of the many details which remained an enigma was contained in the) Tj
T* ( version of the worm used in the second attack. The worm's creator had) Tj
T* ( replaced the original process name, NETW_, with a new one, presumably) Tj
T* ( to thwart the anti-WANK program. McMahon figured the original process) Tj
T* ( name stood for `netwank'--a reasonable guess at the hacker's intended) Tj
T* ( meaning. The new process name, however, left everyone on the SPAN team) Tj
T* ( scratching their heads: it didn't seem to stand for anything. The) Tj
T* ( letters formed an unlikely set of initials for someone's name. No-one) Tj
T* ( recognised it as an acronym for a saying or an organisation. And it) Tj
T* ( certainly wasn't a proper word in the English language. It was a) Tj
T* ( complete mystery why the creator of the WANK worm, the hacker who) Tj
ET
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T* ( launched an invasion into hundreds of NASA and DOE computers, should) Tj
T* ( choose this weird word.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The word was `OILZ'.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Chapter 2 -- The Corner Pub) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( You talk of times of peace for all) Tj
T* ( and then prepare for war ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( -- from `Blossom of Blood' on Species Deceases by Midnight Oil) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It is not surprising the SPAN security team would miss the mark. It is) Tj
T* ( not surprising, for example, that these officials should to this day) Tj
T* ( be pronouncing the `Oilz' version of the WANK worm as `oil zee'. It is) Tj
T* ( also not surprising that they hypothesised the worm's creator chose) Tj
T* ( the word `Oilz' because the modifications made to the last version) Tj
T* ( made it slippery, perhaps even oily.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Likely as not, only an Australian would see the worm's link to the) Tj
T* ( lyrics of Midnight Oil.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This was the world's first worm with a political message, and the) Tj
T* ( second major worm in the history of the worldwide computer networks.) Tj
T* ( It was also the trigger for the creation of FIRST, the Forum of) Tj
T* ( Incident Response and Security Teams.2 FIRST was an international) Tj
T* ( security alliance allowing governments, universities and commercial) Tj
T* ( organisations to share information about computer network security) Tj
T* ( incidents. Yet, NASA and the US Department of Energy were half a world) Tj
T* ( away from finding the creator of the WANK worm. Even as investigators) Tj
T* ( sniffed around electronic trails leading to France, it appears the) Tj
T* ( perpetrator was hiding behind his computer and modem in Australia.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Geographically, Australia is a long way from anywhere. To Americans,) Tj
T* ( it conjures up images of fuzzy marsupials, not computer hackers.) Tj
T* ( American computer security officials, like those at NASA and the US) Tj
T* ( Department of Energy, had other barriers as well. They function in a) Tj
T* ( world of concretes, of appointments made and kept, of real names,) Tj
T* ( business cards and official titles. The computer underground, by) Tj
T* ( contrast, is a veiled world populated by characters slipping in and) Tj
T* ( out of the half-darkness. It is not a place where people use their) Tj
T* ( real names. It is not a place where people give out real personal) Tj
T* ( details.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It is, in fact, not so much a place as a space. It is ephemeral,) Tj
T* ( intangible--a foggy labyrinth of unmapped, winding streets through) Tj
T* ( which one occasionally ascertains the contours of a fellow traveller.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Ron Tencati, the manager in charge of NASA SPAN security, realised) Tj
T* ( that NASA's computers were being attacked by an intruder, he rang the) Tj
T* ( FBI. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation's Computer Crime Unit fired) Tj
T* ( off a stream of questions. How many computers had been attacked? Where) Tj
T* ( were they? Who was behind the attack? The FBI told Tencati, `keep us) Tj
T* ( informed of the situation'. Like the CIAC team in the Department of) Tj
T* ( Energy, it appears the FBI didn't have much knowledge of VMS, the) Tj
ET
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T* ( primary computer operating system used in SPAN.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But the FBI knew enough to realise the worm attack was potentially) Tj
T* ( very serious. The winding electronic trail pointed vaguely to a) Tj
T* ( foreign computer system and, before long, the US Secret Service was) Tj
T* ( involved. Then the French secret service, the Direction de la) Tj
T* ( Surveillance du Territoire, or DST, jumped into the fray.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( DST and the FBI began working together on the case. A casual observer) Tj
T* ( with the benefit of hindsight might see different motivations driving) Tj
T* ( the two government agencies. The FBI wanted to catch the perpetrator.) Tj
T* ( The DST wanted to make it clear that the infamous WANK worm attack on) Tj
T* ( the world's most prestigious space agency did not originate in France.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the best tradition of cloak-and-dagger government agencies, the FBI) Tj
T* ( and DST people established two communication channels--an official) Tj
T* ( channel and an unofficial one. The official channel involved) Tj
T* ( embassies, attachés, formal communiques and interminable delays in) Tj
T* ( getting answers to the simplest questions. The unofficial channel) Tj
T* ( involved a few phone calls and some fast answers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Ron Tencati had a colleague named Chris on the SPAN network in France,) Tj
T* ( which was the largest user of SPAN in Europe. Chris was involved in) Tj
T* ( more than just science computer networks. He had certain contacts in) Tj
T* ( the French government and seemed to be involved in their computer) Tj
T* ( networks. So, when the FBI needed technical information for its) Tj
T* ( investigation--the kind of information likely to be sanitised by some) Tj
T* ( embassy bureaucrat--one of its agents rang up Ron Tencati. `Ron, ask) Tj
T* ( your friend this,' the FBI would say. And Ron would.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Chris, the FBI wants to know this,' Tencati would tell his colleague) Tj
T* ( on SPAN France. Then Chris would get the necessary information. He) Tj
T* ( would call Tencati back, saying, `Ron, here is the answer. Now, the) Tj
T* ( DST wants to know that'. And off Ron would go in search of information) Tj
T* ( requested by the DST.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The investigation proceeded in this way, with each helping the other) Tj
T* ( through backdoor channels. But the Americans' investigation was headed) Tj
T* ( toward the inescapable conclusion that the attack on NASA had) Tj
T* ( originated from a French computer. The worm may have simply travelled) Tj
T* ( through the French computer from yet another system, but the French) Tj
T* ( machine appeared to be the sole point of infection for NASA.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The French did not like this outcome. Not one bit. There was no way) Tj
T* ( that the worm had come from France. Ce n'est pas vrai.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Word came back from the French that they were sure the worm had come) Tj
T* ( from the US. Why else would it have been programmed to mail details of) Tj
T* ( all computer accounts it penetrated around the world back to a US) Tj
T* ( machine, the computer known as GEMPAK? Because the author of the worm) Tj
T* ( was an American, of course! Therefore it is not our problem, the) Tj
T* ( French told the Americans. It is your problem.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Most computer security experts know it is standard practice among) Tj
T* ( hackers to create the most tangled trail possible between the hacker) Tj
T* ( and the hacked. It makes it very difficult for people like the FBI to) Tj
T* ( trace who did it. So it would be difficult to draw definite) Tj
T* ( conclusions about the nationality of the hacker from the location of a) Tj
T* ( hacker's information drop-off point--a location the hacker no doubt) Tj
T* ( figured would be investigated by the authorities almost immediately) Tj
ET
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T* ( after the worm's release.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Tencati had established the French connection from some computer logs) Tj
T* ( showing NASA under attack very early on Monday, 16 October. The logs) Tj
T* ( were important because they were relatively clear. As the worm had) Tj
T* ( procreated during that day, it had forced computers all over the) Tj
T* ( network to attack each other in ever greater numbers. By 11 a.m. it) Tj
T* ( was almost impossible to tell where any one attack began and the other) Tj
T* ( ended.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Some time after the first attack, DST sent word that certain agents) Tj
T* ( were going to be in Washington DC regarding other matters. They wanted) Tj
T* ( a meeting with the FBI. A representative from the NASA Inspector) Tj
T* ( General's Office would attend the meeting, as would someone from NASA) Tj
T* ( SPAN security.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Tencati was sure he could show the WANK worm attack on NASA originated) Tj
T* ( in France. But he also knew he had to document everything, to have) Tj
T* ( exact answers to every question and counter-argument put forward by) Tj
T* ( the French secret service agents at the FBI meeting. When he developed) Tj
T* ( a timeline of attacks, he found that the GEMPAK machine showed X.25) Tj
T* ( network connection, via another system, from a French computer around) Tj
T* ( the same time as the WANK worm attack. He followed the scent and) Tj
T* ( contacted the manager of that system. Would he help Tencati? Mais oui.) Tj
T* ( The machine is at your disposal, Monsieur Tencati.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Tencati had never used an X.25 network before; it had a unique set of) Tj
T* ( commands unlike any other type of computer communications network. He) Tj
T* ( wanted to retrace the steps of the worm, but he needed help. So he) Tj
T* ( called his friend Bob Lyons at DEC to walk him through the process.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What Tencati found startled him. There were traces of the worm on the) Tj
T* ( machine all right, the familiar pattern of login failures as the worm) Tj
T* ( attempted to break into different accounts. But these remnants of the) Tj
T* ( WANK worm were not dated 16 October or any time immediately around) Tj
T* ( then. The logs showed worm-related activity up to two weeks before the) Tj
T* ( attack on NASA. This computer was not just a pass-through machine the) Tj
T* ( worm had used to launch its first attack on NASA. This was the) Tj
T* ( development machine.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Ground zero.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Tencati went into the meeting with DST at the FBI offices prepared. He) Tj
T* ( knew the accusations the French were going to put forward. When he) Tj
T* ( presented the results of his sleuthwork, the French secret service) Tj
T* ( couldn't refute it, but they dropped their own bombshell. Yes they) Tj
T* ( told him, you might be able to point to a French system as ground zero) Tj
T* ( for the attack, but our investigations reveal incoming X.25) Tj
T* ( connections from elsewhere which coincided with the timing of the) Tj
T* ( development of the WANK worm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The connections came from Australia.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The French had satisfied themselves that it wasn't a French hacker who) Tj
T* ( had created the WANK worm. Ce n'est pas notre problem. At least, it's) Tj
T* ( not our problem any more.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It is here that the trail begins to go cold. Law enforcement and) Tj
T* ( computer security people in the US and Australia had ideas about just) Tj
T* ( who had created the WANK worm. Fingers were pointed, accusations were) Tj
ET
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T* ( made, but none stuck. At the end of the day, there was coincidence and) Tj
T* ( innuendo, but not enough evidence to launch a case. Like many) Tj
T* ( Australian hackers, the creator of the WANK worm had emerged from the) Tj
T* ( shadows of the computer underground, stood momentarily in hazy) Tj
T* ( silhouette, and then disappeared again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( The Australian computer underground in the late 1980s was an) Tj
T* ( environment which spawned and shaped the author of the WANK worm.) Tj
T* ( Affordable home computers, such as the Apple IIe and the Commodore 64,) Tj
T* ( made their way into ordinary suburban families. While these computers) Tj
T* ( were not widespread, they were at least in a price range which made) Tj
T* ( them attainable by dedicated computer enthusiasts.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In 1988, the year before the WANK worm attack on NASA, Australia was) Tj
T* ( on an upswing. The country was celebrating its bicentennial. The) Tj
T* ( economy was booming. Trade barriers and old regulatory structures were) Tj
T* ( coming down. Crocodile Dundee had already burst on the world movie) Tj
T* ( scene and was making Australians the flavour of the month in cities) Tj
T* ( like LA and New York. The mood was optimistic. People had a sense they) Tj
T* ( were going places. Australia, a peaceful country of seventeen or so) Tj
T* ( million people, poised on the edge of Asia but with the order of a) Tj
T* ( Western European democracy, was on its way up. Perhaps for the first) Tj
T* ( time, Australians had lost their cultural cringe, a unique type of) Tj
T* ( insecurity alien to can-do cultures such as that found in the US.) Tj
T* ( Exploration and experimentation require confidence and, in 1988,) Tj
T* ( confidence was something Australia had finally attained.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Yet this new-found confidence and optimism did not subdue Australia's) Tj
T* ( tradition of cynicism toward large institutions. The two coexisted,) Tj
T* ( suspended in a strange paradox. Australian humour, deeply rooted in a) Tj
T* ( scepticism of all things serious and sacred, continued to poke fun at) Tj
T* ( upright institutions with a depth of irreverence surprising to many) Tj
T* ( foreigners. This cynicism of large, respected institutions coursed) Tj
T* ( through the newly formed Australian computer underground without) Tj
T* ( dampening its excitement or optimism for the brave new world of) Tj
T* ( computers in the least.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In 1988, the Australian computer underground thrived like a vibrant) Tj
T* ( Asian street bazaar. In that year it was still a realm of place not) Tj
T* ( space. Customers visited their regular stalls, haggled over goods with) Tj
T* ( vendors, bumped into friends and waved across crowded paths to) Tj
T* ( acquaintances. The market was as much a place to socialise as it was) Tj
T* ( to shop. People ducked into tiny coffee houses or corner bars for) Tj
T* ( intimate chats. The latest imported goods, laid out on tables like) Tj
T* ( reams of bright Chinese silks, served as conversation starters. And,) Tj
T* ( like every street market, many of the best items were tucked away,) Tj
T* ( hidden in anticipation of the appearance of that one customer or) Tj
T* ( friend most favoured by the trader. The currency of the underground) Tj
T* ( was not money; it was information. People didn't share and exchange) Tj
T* ( information to accumulate monetary wealth; they did it to win) Tj
T* ( respect--and to buy a thrill.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The members of the Australian computer underground met on bulletin) Tj
T* ( board systems, known as BBSes. Simple things by today's standards,) Tj
T* ( BBSes were often composed of a souped-up Apple II computer, a single) Tj
T* ( modem and a lone telephone line. But they drew people from all walks) Tj
T* ( of life. Teenagers from working-class neighbourhoods and those from) Tj
T* ( the exclusive private schools. University students. People in their) Tj
ET
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T* ( twenties groping their way through first jobs. Even some professional) Tj
T* ( people in their thirties and forties who spent weekends poring over) Tj
T* ( computer manuals and building primitive computers in spare rooms. Most) Tj
T* ( regular BBS users were male. Sometimes a user's sister would find her) Tj
T* ( way into the BBS world, often in search of a boyfriend. Mission) Tj
T* ( accomplished, she might disappear from the scene for weeks, perhaps) Tj
T* ( months, presumably until she required another visit.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The BBS users had a few things in common. They were generally of above) Tj
T* ( average intelligence--usually with a strong technical slant--and they) Tj
T* ( were obsessed with their chosen hobby. They had to be. It often took) Tj
T* ( 45 minutes of attack dialling a busy BBS's lone phone line just to) Tj
T* ( visit the computer system for perhaps half an hour. Most serious BBS) Tj
T* ( hobbyists went through this routine several times each day.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As the name suggests, a BBS had what amounted to an electronic version) Tj
T* ( of a normal bulletin board. The owner of the BBS would have divided) Tj
T* ( the board into different areas, as a school teacher crisscrosses) Tj
T* ( coloured ribbon across the surface of a corkboard to divide it into) Tj
T* ( sections. A single BBS might have 30 or more electronic discussion) Tj
T* ( groups.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As a user to the board, you might visit the politics section, tacking) Tj
T* ( up a `note' on your views of ALP or Liberal policies for anyone) Tj
T* ( passing by to read. Alternatively, you might fancy yourself a bit of a) Tj
T* ( poet and work up the courage to post an original piece of work in the) Tj
T* ( Poet's Corner. The corner was often filled with dark, misanthropic) Tj
T* ( works inspired by the miseries of adolescence. Perhaps you preferred) Tj
T* ( to discuss music. On many BBSes you could find postings on virtually) Tj
T* ( any type of music. The most popular groups included bands like Pink) Tj
T* ( Floyd, Tangerine Dream and Midnight Oil. Midnight Oil's) Tj
T* ( anti-establishment message struck a particular chord within the new) Tj
T* ( BBS community.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Nineteen eighty-eight was the golden age of the BBS culture across) Tj
T* ( Australia. It was an age of innocence and community, an open-air) Tj
T* ( bazaar full of vitality and the sharing of ideas. For the most part,) Tj
T* ( people trusted their peers within the community and the BBS operators,) Tj
T* ( who were often revered as demigods. It was a happy place. And, in) Tj
T* ( general, it was a safe place, which is perhaps one reason why its) Tj
T* ( visitors felt secure in their explorations of new ideas. It was a) Tj
T* ( place in which the creator of the WANK worm could sculpt and hone his) Tj
T* ( creative computer skills.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The capital of this spirited new Australian electronic civilisation) Tj
T* ( was Melbourne. It is difficult to say why this southern city became) Tj
T* ( the cultural centre of the BBS world, and its darker side, the) Tj
T* ( Australian computer underground. Maybe the city's history as) Tj
T* ( Australia's intellectual centre created a breeding ground for the many) Tj
T* ( young people who built their systems with little more than curiosity) Tj
T* ( and salvaged computer bits discarded by others. Maybe Melbourne's) Tj
T* ( personality as a city of suburban homebodies and backyard tinkerers) Tj
T* ( produced a culture conducive to BBSes. Or maybe it was just) Tj
T* ( Melbourne's dreary beaches and often miserable weather. As one) Tj
T* ( Melbourne hacker explained it, `What else is there to do here all) Tj
T* ( winter but hibernate inside with your computer and modem?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In 1988, Melbourne had some 60 to 100 operating BBSes. The numbers are) Tj
T* ( vague because it is difficult to count a collection of moving objects.) Tj
T* ( The amateur nature of the systems, often a jumbled tangle of wires and) Tj
ET
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T* ( second-hand electronics parts soldered together in someone's garage,) Tj
T* ( meant that the life of any one system was frequently as short as a) Tj
T* ( teenager's attention span. BBSes popped up, ran for two weeks, and) Tj
T* ( then vanished again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Some of them operated only during certain hours, say between 10 p.m.) Tj
T* ( and 8 a.m. When the owner went to bed, he or she would plug the home) Tj
T* ( phone line into the BBS and leave it there until morning. Others ran) Tj
T* ( 24 hours a day, but the busiest times were always at night.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Of course it wasn't just intellectual stimulation some users were) Tj
T* ( after. Visitors often sought identity as much as ideas. On an) Tj
T* ( electronic bulletin board, you could create a personality, mould it) Tj
T* ( into shape and make it your own. Age and appearance did not matter.) Tj
T* ( Technical aptitude did. Any spotty, gawky teenage boy could instantly) Tj
T* ( transform himself into a suave, graceful BBS character. The) Tj
T* ( transformation began with the choice of name. In real life, you might) Tj
T* ( be stuck with the name Elliot Dingle--an appellation chosen by your) Tj
T* ( mother to honour a long-dead great uncle. But on a BBS, well, you) Tj
T* ( could be Blade Runner, Ned Kelly or Mad Max. Small wonder that, given) Tj
T* ( the choice, many teenage boys chose to spend their time in the world) Tj
T* ( of the BBS.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Generally, once a user chose a handle, as the on-line names are known,) Tj
T* ( he stuck with it. All his electronic mail came to an account with that) Tj
T* ( name on it. Postings to bulletin boards were signed with it. Others) Tj
T* ( dwelling in the system world knew him by that name and no other. A) Tj
T* ( handle evolved into a name laden with innate meaning, though the) Tj
T* ( personality reflected in it might well have been an alter ego. And so) Tj
T* ( it was that characters like The Wizard, Conan and Iceman came to pass) Tj
T* ( their time on BBSes like the Crystal Palace, Megaworks, The Real) Tj
T* ( Connection and Electric Dreams.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What such visitors valued about the BBS varied greatly. Some wanted to) Tj
T* ( participate in its social life. They wanted to meet people like) Tj
T* ( themselves--bright but geeky or misanthropic people who shared an) Tj
T* ( interest in the finer technical points of computers. Many lived as) Tj
T* ( outcasts in real life, never quite making it into the `normal' groups) Tj
T* ( of friends at school or uni. Though some had started their first jobs,) Tj
T* ( they hadn't managed to shake the daggy awkwardness which pursued them) Tj
T* ( throughout their teen years. On the surface, they were just not the) Tj
T* ( sort of people one asked out to the pub for a cold one after the) Tj
T* ( footy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But that was all right. In general, they weren't much interested in) Tj
T* ( footy anyway.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Each BBS had its own style. Some were completely legitimate, with) Tj
T* ( their wares--all legal goods--laid out in the open. Others, like The) Tj
T* ( Real Connection, had once housed Australia's earliest hackers but had) Tj
T* ( gone straight. They closed up the hacking parts of the board before) Tj
T* ( the first Commonwealth government hacking laws were enacted in June) Tj
T* ( 1989. Perhaps ten or twelve of Melbourne's BBSes at the time had the) Tj
T* ( secret, smoky flavour of the computer underground. A handful of these) Tj
T* ( were invitation-only boards, places like Greyhawk and The Realm. You) Tj
T* ( couldn't simply ring up the board, create a new account and login. You) Tj
T* ( had to be invited by the board's owner. Members of the general) Tj
T* ( modeming public need not apply.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The two most important hubs in the Australian underground between 1987) Tj
ET
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T* ( and 1989 were named Pacific Island and Zen. A 23-year-old who called) Tj
T* ( himself Craig Bowen ran both systems from his bedroom.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Also known as Thunderbird1, Bowen started up Pacific Island in 1987) Tj
T* ( because he wanted a hub for hackers. The fledgling hacking community) Tj
T* ( was dispersed after AHUBBS, possibly Melbourne's earliest hacking) Tj
T* ( board, faded away. Bowen decided to create a home for it, a sort of) Tj
T* ( dark, womb-like cafe bar amid the bustle of the BBS bazaar where) Tj
T* ( Melbourne's hackers could gather and share information.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His bedroom was a simple, boyish place. Built-in cupboards, a bed, a) Tj
T* ( wallpaper design of vintage cars running across one side of the room.) Tj
T* ( A window overlooking the neighbours' leafy suburban yard. A collection) Tj
T* ( of PC magazines with titles like Nibble and Byte. A few volumes on) Tj
T* ( computer programming. VAX/VMS manuals. Not many books, but a handful) Tj
T* ( of science fiction works by Arthur C. Clarke. The Hitchhiker's Guide) Tj
T* ( to the Galaxy. A Chinese-language dictionary used during his high) Tj
T* ( school Mandarin classes, and after, as he continued to study the) Tj
T* ( language on his own while he held down his first job.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Apple IIe, modem and telephone line rested on the drop-down) Tj
T* ( drawing table and fold-up card table at the foot of his bed. Bowen put) Tj
T* ( his TV next to the computer so he could sit in bed, watch TV and use) Tj
T* ( Pacific Island all at the same time. Later, when he started Zen, it) Tj
T* ( sat next to Pacific Island. It was the perfect set-up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pacific Island was hardly fancy by today's standards of Unix Internet) Tj
T* ( machines, but in 1987 it was an impressive computer. PI, pronounced) Tj
T* ( `pie' by the local users, had a 20 megabyte hard drive--gargantuan for) Tj
T* ( a personal computer at the time. Bowen spent about $5000 setting up PI) Tj
T* ( alone. He loved both systems and spent many hours each week nurturing) Tj
T* ( them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was no charge for computer accounts on PI or ZEN, like most) Tj
T* ( BBSes. This gentle-faced youth, a half-boy, half-man who would) Tj
T* ( eventually play host on his humble BBS to many of Australia's) Tj
T* ( cleverest computer and telephone hackers, could afford to pay for his) Tj
T* ( computers for two reasons: he lived at home with his mum and dad, and) Tj
T* ( he had a full-time job at Telecom--then the only domestic telephone) Tj
T* ( carrier in Australia.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( PI had about 800 computer users, up to 200 of whom were `core' users) Tj
T* ( accessing the system regularly. PI had its own dedicated phone line,) Tj
T* ( separate from the house phone so Bowen's parents wouldn't get upset the) Tj
T* ( line was always tied up. Later, he put in four additional phone lines) Tj
T* ( for Zen, which had about 2000 users. Using his Telecom training, he) Tj
T* ( installed a number of non-standard, but legal, features to his) Tj
T* ( house. Junction boxes, master switches. Bowen's house was a) Tj
T* ( telecommunications hot-rod.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Bowen had decided early on that if he wanted to keep his job, he had) Tj
T* ( better not do anything illegal when it came to Telecom. However, the) Tj
T* ( Australian national telecommunications carrier was a handy source of) Tj
T* ( technical information. For example, he had an account on a Telecom) Tj
T* ( computer system--for work--from which he could learn about Telecom's) Tj
T* ( exchanges. But he never used that account for hacking. Most) Tj
T* ( respectable hackers followed a similar philosophy. Some had legitimate) Tj
T* ( university computer accounts for their courses, but they kept those) Tj
T* ( accounts clean. A basic rule of the underground, in the words of one) Tj
T* ( hacker, was `Don't foul your own nest'.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( PI contained a public section and a private one. The public area was) Tj
T* ( like an old-time pub. Anyone could wander in, plop down at the bar and) Tj
T* ( start up a conversation with a group of locals. Just ring up the) Tj
T* ( system with your modem and type in your details--real name, your) Tj
T* ( chosen handle, phone number and other basic information.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Many BBS users gave false information in order to hide their true) Tj
T* ( identities, and many operators didn't really care. Bowen, however,) Tj
T* ( did. Running a hacker's board carried some risk, even before the) Tj
T* ( federal computer crime laws came into force. Pirated software was) Tj
T* ( illegal. Storing data copied from hacking adventures in foreign) Tj
T* ( computers might also be considered illegal. In an effort to exclude) Tj
T* ( police and media spies, Bowen tried to verify the personal details of) Tj
T* ( every user on PI by ringing them at home or work. Often he was) Tj
T* ( successful. Sometimes he wasn't.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The public section of PI housed discussion groups on the major PC) Tj
T* ( brands--IBM, Commodore, Amiga, Apple and Atari--next to the popular) Tj
T* ( Lonely Hearts group. Lonely Hearts had about twenty regulars, most of) Tj
T* ( whom agonised under the weight of pubescent hormonal changes. A boy) Tj
T* ( pining for the affections of the girl who dumped him or, worse, didn't) Tj
T* ( even know he existed. Teenagers who contemplated suicide. The messages) Tj
T* ( were completely anonymous, readers didn't even know the authors') Tj
T* ( handles, and that anonymous setting allowed heart-felt messages and) Tj
T* ( genuine responses.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Zen was PI's sophisticated younger sister. Within two years of PI) Tj
T* ( making its debut, Bowen opened up Zen, one of the first Australian) Tj
T* ( BBSes with more than one telephone line. The main reason he set up Zen) Tj
T* ( was to stop his computer users from bothering him all the time. When) Tj
T* ( someone logged into PI, one of the first things he or she did was) Tj
T* ( request an on-line chat with the system operator. PI's Apple IIe was) Tj
T* ( such a basic machine by today's standards, Bowen couldn't multi-task) Tj
T* ( on it. He could not do anything with the machine, such as check his) Tj
T* ( own mail, while a visitor was logged into PI.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Zen was a watershed in the Australian BBS community. Zen multi-tasked.) Tj
T* ( Up to four people could ring up and login to the machine at any one) Tj
T* ( time, and Bowen could do his own thing while his users were on-line.) Tj
T* ( Better still, his users could talk request each other instead of) Tj
T* ( hassling him all the time. Having users on a multi-tasking machine) Tj
T* ( with multiple phone lines was like having a gaggle of children. For) Tj
T* ( the most part, they amused each other.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mainstream and respectful of authority on the surface, Bowen possessed) Tj
T* ( the same streak of anti-establishment views harboured by many in the) Tj
T* ( underground. His choice of name for Zen underlined this. Zen came from) Tj
T* ( the futuristic British TV science fiction series `Blake 7', in which a) Tj
T* ( bunch of underfunded rebels attempted to overthrow an evil) Tj
T* ( totalitarian government. Zen was the computer on the rebels' ship. The) Tj
T* ( rebels banded together after meeting on a prison ship; they were all) Tj
T* ( being transported to a penal settlement on another planet. It was a) Tj
T* ( story people in the Australian underground could relate to. One of the) Tj
T* ( lead characters, a sort of heroic anti-hero, had been sentenced to) Tj
T* ( prison for computer hacking. His big mistake, he told fellow rebels,) Tj
T* ( was that he had relied on other people. He trusted them. He should) Tj
T* ( have worked alone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Craig Bowen had no idea of how true that sentiment would ring in a) Tj
ET
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T* ( matter of months.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Bowen's place was a hub of current and future lights in the computer) Tj
T* ( underground. The Wizard. The Force. Powerspike. Phoenix. Electron.) Tj
T* ( Nom. Prime Suspect. Mendax. Train Trax. Some, such as Prime Suspect,) Tj
T* ( merely passed through, occasionally stopping in to check out the) Tj
T* ( action and greet friends. Others, such as Nom, were part of the) Tj
T* ( close-knit PI family. Nom helped Bowen set up PI. Like many early) Tj
T* ( members of the underground, they met through AUSOM, an Apple users') Tj
T* ( society in Melbourne. Bowen wanted to run ASCII Express, a program) Tj
T* ( which allowed people to transfer files between their own computers and) Tj
T* ( PI. But, as usual, he and everyone he knew only had a pirated copy of) Tj
T* ( the program. No manuals. So Nom and Bowen spent one weekend picking) Tj
T* ( apart the program by themselves. They were each at home, on their own) Tj
T* ( machines, with copies. They sat on the phone for hours working through) Tj
T* ( how the program worked. They wrote their own manual for other people) Tj
T* ( in the underground suffering under the same lack of documentation.) Tj
T* ( Then they got it up and running on PI.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Making your way into the various groups in a BBS such as PI or Zen had) Tj
T* ( benefits besides hacking information. If you wanted to drop your) Tj
T* ( mantle of anonymity, you could join a pre-packaged, close-knit circle) Tj
T* ( of friends. For example, one clique of PI people were fanatical) Tj
T* ( followers of the film The Blues Brothers. Every Friday night, this) Tj
T* ( group dressed up in Blues Brothers costumes of a dark suit, white) Tj
T* ( shirt, narrow tie, Rayban sunglasses and, of course, the snap-brimmed) Tj
T* ( hat. One couple brought their child, dressed as a mini-Blues Brother.) Tj
T* ( The group of Friday night regulars made their way at 11.30 to) Tj
T* ( Northcote's Valhalla Theatre \(now the Westgarth\). Its grand but) Tj
T* ( slightly tatty vintage atmosphere lent itself to this alternative) Tj
T* ( culture flourishing in late-night revelries. Leaping up on stage) Tj
T* ( mid-film, the PI groupies sent up the actors in key scenes. It was a) Tj
T* ( fun and, as importantly, a cheap evening. The Valhalla staff admitted) Tj
T* ( regulars who were dressed in appropriate costume for free. The only) Tj
T* ( thing the groupies had to pay for was drinks at the intermission.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Occasionally, Bowen arranged gatherings of other young PI and Zen) Tj
T* ( users. Usually, the group met in downtown Melbourne, sometimes at the) Tj
T* ( City Square. The group was mostly boys, but sometimes a few girls) Tj
T* ( would show up. Bowen's sister, who used the handle Syn, hung around a) Tj
T* ( bit. She went out with a few hackers from the BBS scene. And she) Tj
T* ( wasn't the only one. It was a tight group which interchanged) Tj
T* ( boyfriends and girlfriends with considerable regularity. The group) Tj
T* ( hung out in the City Square after watching a movie, usually a horror) Tj
T* ( film. Nightmare 2. House 3. Titles tended to be a noun followed by a) Tj
T* ( numeral. Once, for a bit of lively variation, they went bowling and) Tj
T* ( drove the other people at the alley nuts. After the early) Tj
T* ( entertainment, it was down to McDonald's for a cheap burger. They) Tj
T* ( joked and laughed and threw gherkins against the restaurant's wall.) Tj
T* ( This was followed by more hanging around on the stone steps of the) Tj
T* ( City Square before catching the last bus or train home.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The social sections of PI and Zen were more successful than the) Tj
T* ( technical ones, but the private hacking section was even more) Tj
T* ( successful than the others. The hacking section was hidden; would-be) Tj
T* ( members of the Melbourne underground knew there was something going) Tj
T* ( on, but they couldn't find out what is was.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Getting an invite to the private area required hacking skill or) Tj
T* ( information, and usually a recommendation to Bowen from someone who) Tj
ET
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T* ( was already inside. Within the Inner Sanctum, as the private hacking) Tj
T* ( area was called, people could comfortably share information such as) Tj
T* ( opinions of new computer products, techniques for hacking, details of) Tj
T* ( companies which had set up new sites to hack and the latest rumours on) Tj
T* ( what the law enforcement agencies were up to.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Inner Sanctum was not, however, the only private room. Two hacking) Tj
T* ( groups, Elite and H.A.C.K., guarded entry to their yet more exclusive) Tj
T* ( back rooms. Even if you managed to get entry to the Inner Sanctum, you) Tj
T* ( might not even know that H.A.C.K. or Elite existed. You might know) Tj
T* ( there was a place even more selective than your area, but exactly how) Tj
T* ( many layers of the onion stood between you and the most exclusive) Tj
T* ( section was anyone's guess. Almost every hacker interviewed for this) Tj
T* ( book described a vague sense of being somehow outside the innermost) Tj
T* ( circle. They knew it was there, but wasn't sure just what it was.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Bowen fielded occasional phone calls on his voice line from wanna-be) Tj
T* ( hackers trying to pry open the door to the Inner Sanctum. `I want) Tj
T* ( access to your pirate system,' the voice would whine.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `What pirate system? Who told you my system was a pirate system?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Bowen sussed out how much the caller knew, and who had told him. Then) Tj
T* ( he denied everything.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To avoid these requests, Bowen had tried to hide his address, real) Tj
T* ( name and phone number from most of the people who used his BBSes. But) Tj
T* ( he wasn't completely successful. He had been surprised by the sudden) Tj
T* ( appearance one day of Masked Avenger on his doorstep. How Masked) Tj
T* ( Avenger actually found his address was a mystery. The two had chatted) Tj
T* ( in a friendly fashion on-line, but Bowen didn't give out his details.) Tj
T* ( Nothing could have prepared him for the little kid in the big crash) Tj
T* ( helmet standing by his bike in front of Bowen's house. `Hi!' he) Tj
T* ( squeaked. `I'm the Masked Avenger!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Masked Avenger--a boy perhaps fifteen years old--was quite resourceful) Tj
T* ( to have found out Bowen's details. Bowen invited him in and showed him) Tj
T* ( the system. They became friends. But after that incident, Bowen) Tj
T* ( decided to tighten security around his personal details even more. He) Tj
T* ( began, in his own words, `moving toward full anonymity'. He invented) Tj
T* ( the name Craig Bowen, and everyone in the underground came to know him) Tj
T* ( by that name or his handle, Thunderbird1. He even opened a false bank) Tj
T* ( account in the name of Bowen for the periodic voluntary donations) Tj
T* ( users sent into PI. It was never a lot of money, mostly $5 or $10,) Tj
T* ( because students don't tend to have much money. He ploughed it all) Tj
T* ( back into PI.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( People had lots of reasons for wanting to get into the Inner Sanctum.) Tj
T* ( Some wanted free copies of the latest software, usually pirated games) Tj
T* ( from the US. Others wanted to share information and ideas about ways) Tj
T* ( to break into computers, often those owned by local universities.) Tj
T* ( Still others wanted to learn about how to manipulate the telephone) Tj
T* ( system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The private areas functioned like a royal court, populated by) Tj
T* ( aristocrats and courtiers with varying seniority, loyalties and) Tj
T* ( rivalries. The areas involved an intricate social order and respect) Tj
T* ( was the name of the game. If you wanted admission, you had to walk a) Tj
T* ( delicate line between showing your superiors that you possessed enough) Tj
T* ( valuable hacking information to be elite and not showing them so much) Tj
ET
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T* ( they would brand you a blabbermouth. A perfect bargaining chip was an) Tj
T* ( old password for Melbourne University's dial-out.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The university's dial-out was a valuable thing. A hacker could ring up) Tj
T* ( the university's computer, login as `modem' and the machine would drop) Tj
T* ( him into a modem which let him dial out again. He could then dial) Tj
T* ( anywhere in the world, and the university would foot the phone bill.) Tj
T* ( In the late 1980s, before the days of cheap, accessible Internet) Tj
T* ( connections, the university dial-out meant a hacker could access) Tj
T* ( anything from an underground BBS in Germany to a US military system in) Tj
T* ( Panama. The password put the world at his fingertips.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A hacker aspiring to move into PI's Inner Sanctum wouldn't give out) Tj
T* ( the current dial-out password in the public discussion areas. Most) Tj
T* ( likely, if he was low in the pecking order, he wouldn't have such) Tj
T* ( precious information. Even if he had managed to stumble across the) Tj
T* ( current password somehow, it was risky giving it out publicly. Every) Tj
T* ( wanna-be and his dog would start messing around with the university's) Tj
T* ( modem account. The system administrator would wise up and change the) Tj
T* ( password and the hacker would quickly lose his own access to the) Tj
T* ( university account. Worse, he would lose access for other hackers--the) Tj
T* ( kind of hackers who ran H.A.C.K., Elite and the Inner Sanctum. They) Tj
T* ( would be really cross. Hackers hate it when passwords on accounts they) Tj
T* ( consider their own are changed without warning. Even if the password) Tj
T* ( wasn't changed, the aspiring hacker would look like a guy who couldn't) Tj
T* ( keep a good secret.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Posting an old password, however, was quite a different matter. The) Tj
T* ( information was next to useless, so the hacker wouldn't be giving much) Tj
T* ( away. But just showing he had access to that sort of information) Tj
T* ( suggested he was somehow in the know. Other hackers might think he had) Tj
T* ( had the password when it was still valid. More importantly, by showing) Tj
T* ( off a known, expired password, the hacker hinted that he might just) Tj
T* ( have the current password. Voila! Instant respect.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Positioning oneself to win an invite into the Inner Sanctum was a game) Tj
T* ( of strategy; titillate but never go all the way. After a while,) Tj
T* ( someone on the inside would probably notice you and put in a word with) Tj
T* ( Bowen. Then you would get an invitation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If you were seriously ambitious and wanted to get past the first inner) Tj
T* ( layer, you then had to start performing for real. You couldn't hide) Tj
T* ( behind the excuse that the public area might be monitored by the) Tj
T* ( authorities or was full of idiots who might abuse valuable hacking) Tj
T* ( information.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The hackers in the most elite area would judge you on how much) Tj
T* ( information you provided about breaking into computer or phone) Tj
T* ( systems. They also looked at the accuracy of the information. It was) Tj
T* ( easy getting out-of-date login names and passwords for a student) Tj
T* ( account on Monash University's computer system. Posting a valid) Tj
T* ( account for the New Zealand forestry department's VMS system intrigued) Tj
T* ( the people who counted considerably more.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Great Rite of Passage from boy to man in the computer underground) Tj
T* ( was Minerva. OTC, Australia's then government-owned Overseas) Tj
T* ( Telecommunications Commission,3 ran Minerva, a system of three Prime) Tj
T* ( mainframes in Sydney. For hackers such as Mendax, breaking into) Tj
T* ( Minerva was the test.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Back in early 1988, Mendax was just beginning to explore the world of) Tj
T* ( hacking. He had managed to break through the barrier from public to) Tj
T* ( private section of PI, but it wasn't enough. To be recognised as) Tj
T* ( up-and-coming talent by the aristocracy of hackers such as The Force) Tj
T* ( and The Wizard, a hacker had to spend time inside the Minerva system.) Tj
T* ( Mendax set to work on breaking) Tj
T* ( into it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Minerva was special for a number of reasons. Although it was in) Tj
T* ( Sydney, the phone number to its entry computer, called an X.25 pad,) Tj
T* ( was a free call. At the time Mendax lived in Emerald, a country town) Tj
T* ( on the outskirts of Melbourne. A call to most Melbourne numbers) Tj
T* ( incurred a long-distance charge, thus ruling out options such as the) Tj
T* ( Melbourne University dial-out for breaking into international computer) Tj
T* ( systems.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Emerald was hardly Emerald City. For a clever sixteen-year-old boy,) Tj
T* ( the place was dead boring. Mendax lived there with his mother; Emerald) Tj
T* ( was merely a stopping point, one of dozens, as his mother shuttled her) Tj
T* ( child around the continent trying to escape from a psychopathic former) Tj
T* ( de facto. The house was an emergency refuge for families on the run.) Tj
T* ( It was safe and so, for a time, Mendax and his exhausted family) Tj
T* ( stopped to rest before tearing off again in search of a new place to) Tj
T* ( hide.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sometimes Mendax went to school. Often he didn't. The school system) Tj
T* ( didn't hold much interest for him. It didn't feed his mind the way) Tj
T* ( Minerva would. They Sydney computer system was a far more interesting) Tj
T* ( place to muck around in than the rural high school.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Minerva was a Prime computer, and Primes were in. Force, one of the) Tj
T* ( more respected hackers in 1987-88 in the Australian computer) Tj
T* ( underground, specialised in Primos, the special operating system used) Tj
T* ( on Prime computers. He wrote his own programs--potent hacking tools) Tj
T* ( which provided current usernames and passwords--and made the systems) Tj
T* ( fashionable in the computer underground.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime computers were big and expensive and no hacker could afford one,) Tj
T* ( so being able to access the speed and computational grunt of a system) Tj
T* ( like Minerva was valuable for running a hacker's own programs. For) Tj
T* ( example, a network scanner, a program which gathered the addresses of) Tj
T* ( computers on the X.25 network which would be targets for future) Tj
T* ( hacking adventures, ate up computing resources. But a huge machine) Tj
T* ( like Minerva could handle that sort of program with ease. Minerva also) Tj
T* ( allowed users to connect to other computer systems on the X.25 network) Tj
T* ( around the world. Better still, Minerva had a BASIC interpreter on it.) Tj
T* ( This allowed people to write programs in the BASIC programming) Tj
T* ( language--by far the most popular language at the time--and make them) Tj
T* ( run on Minerva. You didn't have to be a Primos fanatic, like Force, to) Tj
T* ( write and execute a program on the OTC computer. Minerva suited Mendax) Tj
T* ( very well.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The OTC system had other benefits. Most major Australian corporations) Tj
T* ( had accounts on the system. Breaking into an account requires a) Tj
T* ( username and password; find the username and you have solved half the) Tj
T* ( equation. Minerva account names were easy picking. Each one was) Tj
T* ( composed of three letters followed by three numbers, a system which) Tj
T* ( could have been difficult to crack except for the choice of those) Tj
T* ( letters and numbers. The first three letters were almost always) Tj
T* ( obvious acronyms for the company. For example, the ANZ Bank had) Tj
ET
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T* ( accounts named ANZ001, ANZ002 and ANZ002. The numbers followed the) Tj
T* ( same pattern for most companies. BHP001. CRA001. NAB001. Even OTC007.) Tj
T* ( Anyone with the IQ of a desk lamp could guess at least a few account) Tj
T* ( names on Minerva. Passwords were a bit tougher to come by, but Mendax) Tj
T* ( had some ideas for that. He was going to have a crack at social) Tj
T* ( engineering. Social engineering means smooth-talking someone in a) Tj
T* ( position of power into doing something for you. It always involved a) Tj
T* ( ruse of some sort.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax decided he would social engineer a password out of one of) Tj
T* ( Minerva's users. He had downloaded a partial list of Minerva users) Tj
T* ( another PI hacker had generously posted for those talented enough to) Tj
T* ( make use of it. This list was maybe two years old, and incomplete, but) Tj
T* ( it contained 30-odd pages of Minerva account usernames, company names,) Tj
T* ( addresses, contact names and telephone and fax numbers. Some of them) Tj
T* ( would probably still be valid.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax had a deep voice for his age; it would have been impossible to) Tj
T* ( even contemplate social engineering without it. Cracking adolescent) Tj
T* ( male voices were the kiss of death for would-be social engineers. But) Tj
T* ( even though he had the voice, he didn't have the office or the Sydney) Tj
T* ( phone number if the intended victim wanted a number to call back on.) Tj
T* ( He found a way to solve the Sydney phone number by poking around until) Tj
T* ( he dug up a number with Sydney's 02 area code which was permanently) Tj
T* ( engaged. One down, one to go.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Next problem: generate some realistic office background noise. He) Tj
T* ( could hardly call a company posing as an OTC official to cajole a) Tj
T* ( password when the only background noise was birds tweeting in the) Tj
T* ( fresh country air.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( No, he needed the same background buzz as a crowded office in downtown) Tj
T* ( Sydney. Mendex had a tape recorder, so he could pre-record the sound) Tj
T* ( of an office and play it as background when he called companies on the) Tj
T* ( Minerva list. The only hurdle was finding the appropriate office) Tj
T* ( noise. Not even the local post office would offer a believable noise) Tj
T* ( level. With none easily accessible, he decided to make his own audible) Tj
T* ( office clutter. It wouldn't be easy. With a single track on his) Tj
T* ( recording device, he couldn't dub in sounds on top of each other: he) Tj
T* ( had to make all the noises simultaneously.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( First, he turned on the TV news, down very low, so it just hummed in) Tj
T* ( the background. Then he set up a long document to print on his) Tj
T* ( Commodore MPS 801 printer. He removed the cover from the noisy dot) Tj
T* ( matrix machine, to create just the right volume of clackity-clack in) Tj
T* ( the background. Still, he needed something more. Operators' voices) Tj
T* ( mumbling across a crowded floor. He could mumble quietly to himself,) Tj
T* ( but he soon discovered his verbal skills had not developed to the) Tj
T* ( point of being able to stand in the middle of the room talking about) Tj
T* ( nothing to himself for a quarter of an hour. So he fished out his) Tj
T* ( volume of Shakespeare and started reading aloud. Loud enough to hear) Tj
T* ( voices, but not so loud that the intended victim would be able to pick) Tj
T* ( Macbeth. OTC operators had keyboards, so he began tapping randomly on) Tj
T* ( his. Occasionally, for a little variation, he walked up to the tape) Tj
T* ( recorder and asked a question--and then promptly answered it in) Tj
T* ( another voice. He stomped noisily away from the recorder again, across) Tj
T* ( the room, and then silently dove back to the keyboard for more) Tj
T* ( keyboard typing and mumblings of Macbeth.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was exhausting. He figured the tape had to run for at least fifteen) Tj
ET
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T* ( minutes uninterrupted. It wouldn't look very realistic if the office) Tj
T* ( buzz suddenly went dead for three seconds at a time in the places) Tj
T* ( where he paused the tape to rest.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The tapes took a number of attempts. He would be halfway through,) Tj
T* ( racing through line after line of Shakespeare, rap-tap-tapping on his) Tj
T* ( keyboard and asking himself questions in authoritative voices when the) Tj
T* ( paper jammed in his printer. Damn. He had to start all over again.) Tj
T* ( Finally, after a tiring hour of auditory schizophrenia, he had the) Tj
T* ( perfect tape of office hubbub.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax pulled out his partial list of Minerva users and began working) Tj
T* ( through the 30-odd pages. It was discouraging.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `The number you have dialled is not connected. Please check the number) Tj
T* ( before dialling again.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Next number.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Sorry, he is in a meeting at the moment. Can I have him return your) Tj
T* ( call?' Ah, no thanks.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Another try.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `That person is no longer working with our company. Can I refer you to) Tj
T* ( someone else?' Uhm, not really.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And another try.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally, success.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax reached one of the contact names for a company in Perth. Valid) Tj
T* ( number, valid company, valid contact name. He cleared his throat to) Tj
T* ( deepen his voice even further and began.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `This is John Keller, an operator from OTC Minerva in Sydney. One of) Tj
T* ( our D090 hard drives has crashed. We've pulled across the data on the) Tj
T* ( back-up tape and we believe we have all your correct information. But) Tj
T* ( some of it might have been corrupted in the accident and we would just) Tj
T* ( like to confirm your details. Also the back-up tape is two days old,) Tj
T* ( so we want to check your information is up to date so your service is) Tj
T* ( not interrupted. Let me just dig out your details ...' Mendax shuffled) Tj
T* ( some papers around on the table top.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh, dear. Yes. Let's check it,' the worried manager responded.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax started reading all the information on the Minerva list) Tj
T* ( obtained from Pacific Island, except for one thing. He changed the fax) Tj
T* ( number slightly. It worked. The manager jumped right in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh, no. That's wrong. Our fax number is definitely wrong,' he said) Tj
T* ( and proceeded to give the correct number.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax tried to sound concerned. `Hmm,' he told the manager. `We may) Tj
T* ( have bigger problems than we anticipated. Hmm.' He gave another) Tj
T* ( pregnant pause. Working up the courage to ask the Big Question.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was hard to know who was sweating more, the fretting Perth manager,) Tj
T* ( tormented by the idea of loud staff complaints from all over the) Tj
T* ( company because the Minerva account was faulty, or the gangly kid) Tj
ET
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T* ( trying his hand at social engineering for the first time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well,' Mendax began, trying to keep the sound of authority in his) Tj
T* ( voice. `Let's see. We have your account number, but we had better) Tj
T* ( check your password ... what was it?' An arrow shot from the bow.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It hit the target. `Yes, it's L-U-R-C-H--full stop.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Lurch? Uhuh. An Addams Family fan.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Can you make sure everything is working? We don't want our service) Tj
T* ( interrupted.' The Perth manager sounded quite anxious.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax tapped away on the keyboard randomly and then paused. `Well, it) Tj
T* ( looks like everything is working just fine now,' he quickly reassured) Tj
T* ( him. Just fine.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh, that's a relief!' the Perth manager exclaimed. `Thank you for) Tj
T* ( that. Thank you. I just can't thank you enough for calling us!' More) Tj
T* ( gratitude.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax had to extract himself. This was getting embarrassing.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yes, well I'd better go now. More customers to call.' That should) Tj
T* ( work. The Perth manager wanted a contact telephone number, as) Tj
T* ( expected, if something went wrong--so Mendax gave him the one which) Tj
T* ( was permanently busy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Thank you again for your courteous service!' Uhuh. Anytime.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax hung up and tried the toll-free Minerva number. The password) Tj
T* ( worked. He couldn't believe how easy it was to get in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He had a quick look around, following the pattern of most hackers) Tj
T* ( breaking into a new machine. First thing to do was to check the) Tj
T* ( electronic mail of the `borrowed' account. Email often contains) Tj
T* ( valuable information. One company manager might send another) Tj
T* ( information about other account names, password changes or even phone) Tj
T* ( numbers to modems at the company itself. Then it was off to check the) Tj
T* ( directories available for anyone to read on the main system--another) Tj
T* ( good source of information. Final stop: Minerva's bulletin board of) Tj
T* ( news. This included postings from the system operators about planned) Tj
T* ( downtime or other service issues. He didn't stay long. The first visit) Tj
T* ( was usually mostly a bit of reconnaissance work.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Minerva had many uses. Most important among these was the fact that) Tj
T* ( Minerva gave hackers an entry point into various X.25 networks. X.25) Tj
T* ( is a type of computer communications network, much like the Unix-based) Tj
T* ( Internet or the VMS-based DECNET. It has different commands and) Tj
T* ( protocols, but the principle of an extensive worldwide data) Tj
T* ( communications network is the same. There is, however, one important) Tj
T* ( difference. The targets for hackers on the X.25 networks are often far) Tj
T* ( more interesting. For example, most banks are on X.25. Indeed, X.25) Tj
T* ( underpins many aspects of the world's financial markets. A number of) Tj
T* ( countries' classified military computer sites only run on X.25. It is) Tj
T* ( considered by many people to be more secure than the Internet or any) Tj
T* ( DECNET system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Minerva allowed incoming callers to pass into the X.25) Tj
T* ( network--something most Australian universities did not offer at the) Tj
ET
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T* ( time. And Minerva let Australian callers do this without incurring a) Tj
T* ( long-distance telephone charge.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the early days of Minerva, the OTC operators didn't seem to care) Tj
T* ( much about the hackers, probably because it seemed impossible to get) Tj
T* ( rid of them. The OTC operators managed the OTC X.25 exchange, which) Tj
T* ( was like a telephone exchange for the X.25 data network. This exchange) Tj
T* ( was the data gateway for Minerva and other systems connected to that) Tj
T* ( data network.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Australia's early hackers had it easy, until Michael Rosenberg) Tj
T* ( arrived.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Rosenberg, known on-line simply as MichaelR, decided to clean up) Tj
T* ( Minerva. An engineering graduate from Queensland University, Michael) Tj
T* ( moved to Sydney when he joined OTC at age 21. He was about the same) Tj
T* ( age as the hackers he was chasing off his system. Rosenberg didn't) Tj
T* ( work as an OTC operator, he managed the software which ran on Minerva.) Tj
T* ( And he made life hell for people like Force. Closing up security) Tj
T* ( holes, quietly noting accounts used by hackers and then killing those) Tj
T* ( accounts, Rosenberg almost single-handedly stamped out much of the) Tj
T* ( hacker activity in OTC's Minerva.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Despite this, the hackers--`my hackers' as he termed the regulars--had) Tj
T* ( a grudging respect for Rosenberg. Unlike anyone else at OTC, he was) Tj
T* ( their technical equal and, in a world where technical prowess was the) Tj
T* ( currency, Rosenberg was a wealthy young man.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He wanted to catch the hackers, but he didn't want to see them go to) Tj
T* ( prison. They were an annoyance, and he just wanted them out of his) Tj
T* ( system. Any line trace, however, had to go through Telecom, which was) Tj
T* ( at that time a separate body from OTC. Telecom, Rosenberg was told,) Tj
T* ( was difficult about these things because of strict privacy laws. So,) Tj
T* ( for the most part, he was left to deal with the hackers on his own.) Tj
T* ( Rosenberg could not secure his system completely since OTC didn't) Tj
T* ( dictate passwords to their customers. Their customers were usually) Tj
T* ( more concerned about employees being able to remember passwords easily) Tj
T* ( than worrying about warding off wily hackers. The result: the) Tj
T* ( passwords on a number of Minerva accounts were easy pickings.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The hackers and OTC waged a war from 1988 to 1990, and it was fought) Tj
T* ( in many ways.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sometimes an OTC operator would break into a hacker's on-line session) Tj
T* ( demanding to know who was really using the account. Sometimes the) Tj
T* ( operators sent insulting messages to the hackers--and the hackers gave) Tj
T* ( it right back to them. They broke into the hacker's session with `Oh,) Tj
T* ( you idiots are at it again'. The operators couldn't keep the hackers) Tj
T* ( out, but they had other ways of getting even.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron, a Melbourne hacker and rising star in the Australian) Tj
T* ( underground, had been logging into a system in Germany via OTC's X.25) Tj
T* ( link. Using a VMS machine, a sort of sister system to Minerva, he had) Tj
T* ( been playing a game called Empire on the Altos system, a popular) Tj
T* ( hang-out for hackers. It was his first attempt at Empire, a complex) Tj
T* ( war game of strategy which attracted players from around the world.) Tj
T* ( They each had less than one hour per day to conquer regions while) Tj
T* ( keeping production units at a strategic level. The Melbourne hacker) Tj
T* ( had spent weeks building his position. He was in second place.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Then, one day, he logged into the game via Minerva and the German) Tj
T* ( system, and he couldn't believe what he saw on the screen in front of) Tj
T* ( him. His regions, his position in the game, all of it--weeks of) Tj
T* ( work--had been wiped out. An OTC operator had used an X.25) Tj
T* ( packet-sniffer to monitor the hacker's login and capture his password to) Tj
T* ( Empire. Instead of trading the usual insults, the operator had waited) Tj
T* ( for the hacker to logoff and then had hacked into the game and destroyed) Tj
T* ( the hacker's position.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron was furious. He had been so proud of his position in his very) Tj
T* ( first game. Still, wreaking havoc on the Minerva system in retribution) Tj
T* ( was out of the question. Despite the fact that they wasted weeks of) Tj
T* ( his work, Electron had no desire to damage their system. He considered) Tj
T* ( himself lucky to be able to use it as long as he did.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The anti-establishment attitudes nurtured in BBSes such as PI and Zen) Tj
T* ( fed on a love of the new and untried. There was no bitterness, just a) Tj
T* ( desire to throw off the mantle of the old and dive into the new.) Tj
T* ( Camaraderie grew from the exhilarating sense that the youth in this) Tj
T* ( particular time and place were constantly on the edge of big) Tj
T* ( discoveries. People were calling up computers with their modems and) Tj
T* ( experimenting. What did this key sequence do? What about that tone?) Tj
T* ( What would happen if ... It was the question which drove them to stay) Tj
T* ( up day and night, poking and prodding. These hackers didn't for the) Tj
T* ( most part do drugs. They didn't even drink that much, given their age.) Tj
T* ( All of that would have interfered with their burning desire to know,) Tj
T* ( would have dulled their sharp edge. The underground's) Tj
T* ( anti-establishment views were mostly directed at organisations which) Tj
T* ( seemed to block the way to the new frontier--organisations like) Tj
T* ( Telecom.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was a powerful word. Say `Telecom' to a member of the computer) Tj
T* ( underground from that era and you will observe the most striking) Tj
T* ( reaction. Instant contempt sweeps across his face. There is a pause as) Tj
T* ( his lips curl into a noticeable sneer and he replies with complete) Tj
T* ( derision, `Telescum'. The underground hated Australia's national) Tj
T* ( telephone carrier with a passion equalled only to its love of) Tj
T* ( exploration. They felt that Telecom was backward and its staff had no) Tj
T* ( idea how to use their own telecommunications technology. Worst of all,) Tj
T* ( Telecom seemed to actively dislike BBSes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Line noise interfered with one modem talking to another, and in the) Tj
T* ( eyes of the computer underground, Telecom was responsible for the line) Tj
T* ( noise. A hacker might be reading a message on PI, and there, in the) Tj
T* ( middle of some juicy technical titbit, would be a bit of crud--random) Tj
T* ( characters `2'28 v'1';D>nj4'--followed by the comment, `Line noise.) Tj
T* ( Damn Telescum! At their best as usual, I see'. Sometimes the line) Tj
T* ( noise was so bad it logged the hacker off, thus forcing him to spend) Tj
T* ( another 45 minutes attack dialling the BBS. The modems didn't have) Tj
T* ( error correction, and the faster the modem speed, the worse the impact) Tj
T* ( of line noise. Often it became a race to read mail and post messages) Tj
T* ( before Telecom's line noise logged the hacker off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Rumours flew through the underground again and again that Telecom was) Tj
T* ( trying to bring in timed local calls. The volume of outrage was) Tj
T* ( deafening. The BBS community believed it really irked the national) Tj
T* ( carrier that people could spend an hour logged into a BBS for the cost) Tj
T* ( of one local phone call. Even more heinous, other rumours abounded) Tj
T* ( that Telecom had forced at least one BBS to limit each incoming call) Tj
T* ( to under half an hour. Hence Telecom's other nickname in the computer) Tj
ET
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T* ( underground: Teleprofit.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To the BBS community, Telecom's Protective Services Unit was the) Tj
T* ( enemy. They were the electronic police. The underground saw Protective) Tj
T* ( Services as `the enforcers'--an all-powerful government force which) Tj
T* ( could raid your house, tap your phone line and seize your computer) Tj
T* ( equipment at any time. The ultimate reason to hate Telecom.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was such hatred of Telecom that people in the computer) Tj
T* ( underground routinely discussed ways of sabotaging the carrier. Some) Tj
T* ( people talked of sending 240 volts of electricity down the telephone) Tj
T* ( line--an act which would blow up bits of the telephone exchange along) Tj
T* ( with any line technicians who happened to be working on the cable at) Tj
T* ( the time. Telecom had protective fuses which stopped electrical surges) Tj
T* ( on the line, but BBS hackers had reportedly developed circuit plans) Tj
T* ( which would allow high-frequency voltages to bypass them. Other) Tj
T* ( members of the underground considered what sweet justice it would be) Tj
T* ( to set fire to all the cables outside a particular Telecom exchange) Tj
T* ( which had an easily accessible cable entrance duct.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was against this backdrop that the underground began to shift into) Tj
T* ( phreaking. Phreaking is loosely defined as hacking the telephone) Tj
T* ( system. It is a very loose definition. Some people believe phreaking) Tj
T* ( includes stealing a credit card number and using it to make a) Tj
T* ( long-distance call for free. Purists shun this definition. To them,) Tj
T* ( using a stolen credit card is not phreaking, it is carding. They argue) Tj
T* ( that phreaking demands a reasonable level of technical skill and) Tj
T* ( involves manipulation of a telephone exchange. This manipulation may) Tj
T* ( manifest itself as using computers or electrical circuits to generate) Tj
T* ( special tones or modify the voltage of a phone line. The manipulation) Tj
T* ( changes how the telephone exchange views a particular telephone) Tj
T* ( line. The result: a free and hopefully untraceable call. The purist) Tj
T* ( hacker sees phreaking more as a way of eluding telephone traces than of) Tj
T* ( calling his or her friends around the world for free.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The first transition into phreaking and eventually carding happened) Tj
T* ( over a period of about six months in 1988. Early hackers on PI and Zen) Tj
T* ( relied primarily on dial-outs, like those at Melbourne University or) Tj
T* ( Telecom's Clayton office, to bounce around international computer) Tj
T* ( sites. They also used X.25 dial-outs in other countries--the US,) Tj
T* ( Sweden and Germany--to make another leap in their international) Tj
T* ( journeys.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gradually, the people running these dial-out lines wised up. Dial-outs) Tj
T* ( started drying up. Passwords were changed. Facilities were cancelled.) Tj
T* ( But the hackers didn't want to give up access to overseas systems.) Tj
T* ( They'd had their first taste of international calling and they wanted) Tj
T* ( more. There was a big shiny electronic world to explore out there.) Tj
T* ( They began trying different methods of getting where they wanted to) Tj
T* ( go. And so the Melbourne underground moved into phreaking.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phreakers swarmed to PABXes like bees to honey. A PABX, a private) Tj
T* ( automatic branch exchange, works like a mini-Telecom telephone) Tj
T* ( exchange. Using a PABX, the employee of a large company could dial) Tj
T* ( another employee in-house without incurring the cost of a local) Tj
T* ( telephone call. If the employee was, for example, staying in a hotel) Tj
T* ( out of town, the company might ask him to make all his calls through) Tj
T* ( the company's PABX to avoid paying extortionate hotel long-distance) Tj
T* ( rates. If the employee was in Brisbane on business, he could dial a) Tj
T* ( Brisbane number which might route him via the company's PABX to) Tj
ET
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T* ( Sydney. From there, he might dial out to Rome or London, and the) Tj
T* ( charge would be billed directly to the company. What worked for an) Tj
T* ( employee also worked for a phreaker.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A phreaker dialling into the PABX would generally need to either know) Tj
T* ( or guess the password allowing him to dial out again. Often, the) Tj
T* ( phreaker was greeted by an automated message asking for the employee's) Tj
T* ( telephone extension--which also served as the password. Well, that was) Tj
T* ( easy enough. The phreaker simply tried a series of numbers until he) Tj
T* ( found one which actually worked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Occasionally, a PABX system didn't even have passwords. The managers) Tj
T* ( of the PABX figured that keeping the phone number secret was good) Tj
T* ( enough security. Sometimes phreakers made free calls out of PABXes) Tj
T* ( simply by exploited security flaws in a particular model or brand of) Tj
T* ( PABX. A series of specific key presses allowed the phreaker to get in) Tj
T* ( without knowing a password, an employee's name, or even the name of) Tj
T* ( the company for that matter.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As a fashionable pastime on BBSes, phreaking began to surpass hacking.) Tj
T* ( PI established a private phreaking section. For a while, it became) Tj
T* ( almost old hat to call yourself a hacker. Phreaking was forging the) Tj
T* ( path forward.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Somewhere in this transition, the Phreakers Five sprung to life. A) Tj
T* ( group of five hackers-turned-phreakers gathered in an exclusive group) Tj
T* ( on PI. Tales of their late-night podding adventures leaked into the) Tj
T* ( other areas of the BBS and made would-be phreakers green with) Tj
T* ( jealousy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( First, the phreakers would scout out a telephone pod--the grey steel,) Tj
T* ( rounded box perched nondescriptly on most streets. Ideally, the chosen) Tj
T* ( pod would be by a park or some other public area likely to be deserted) Tj
T* ( at night. Pods directly in front of suburban houses were a bit) Tj
T* ( risky--the house might contain a nosy little old lady with a penchant) Tj
T* ( for calling the local police if anything looked suspicious. And what) Tj
T* ( she would see, if she peered out from behind her lace curtains, was a) Tj
T* ( small tornado of action.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One of the five would leap from the van and open the pod with a key) Tj
T* ( begged, borrowed or stolen from a Telecom technician. The keys seemed) Tj
T* ( easy enough to obtain. The BBSes message boards were rife with gleeful) Tj
T* ( tales of valuable Telecom equipment, such as 500 metres of cable or a) Tj
T* ( pod key, procured off a visiting Telecom repairman either through) Tj
T* ( legitimate means or in exchange for a six-pack of beer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The designated phreaker would poke inside the pod until he found) Tj
T* ( someone else's phone line. He'd strip back the cable, whack on a pair) Tj
T* ( of alligator clips and, if he wanted to make a voice call, run it to a) Tj
T* ( linesman's handset also borrowed, bought or stolen from Telecom. If he) Tj
T* ( wanted to call another computer instead of talking voice, he would) Tj
T* ( need to extend the phone line back to the phreakers' car. This is) Tj
T* ( where the 500 metres of Telecom cable came in handy. A long cable) Tj
T* ( meant the car, containing five anxious, whispering young men and a) Tj
T* ( veritable junkyard of equipment, would not have to sit next to the pod) Tj
T* ( for hours on end. That sort of scene might look a little suspicious to) Tj
T* ( a local resident out walking his or her dog late one night.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The phreaker ran the cable down the street and, if possible, around) Tj
T* ( the corner. He pulled it into the car and attached it to the waiting) Tj
ET
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T* ( computer modem. At least one of the five was proficient enough with) Tj
T* ( electronics hardware to have rigged up the computer and modem to the) Tj
T* ( car battery. The Phreaker's Five could now call any computer without) Tj
T* ( being traced or billed. The phone call charges would appear at the end) Tj
T* ( of a local resident's phone bill. Telecom did not itemise residential) Tj
T* ( telephone bills at the time. True, it was a major drama to zoom around) Tj
T* ( suburban streets in the middle of the night with computers, alligator) Tj
T* ( clips and battery adaptors in tow, but that didn't matter so much. In) Tj
T* ( fact, the thrill of such a cloak-and-dagger operation was as good as) Tj
T* ( the actual hacking itself. It was illicit. In the phreakers' own eyes,) Tj
T* ( it was clever. And therefore it was fun.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Craig Bowen didn't think much of the Phreakers Five's style of) Tj
T* ( phreaking. In fact, the whole growth of phreaking as a pastime) Tj
T* ( depressed him a bit. He believed it just didn't require the technical) Tj
T* ( skills of proper hacking. Hacking was, in his view, about the) Tj
T* ( exploration of a brave new world of computers. Phreaking was, well, a) Tj
T* ( bit beneath a good hacker. Somehow it demeaned the task at hand.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Still, he could see how in some cases it was necessary in order to) Tj
T* ( continue hacking. Most people in the underground developed some basic) Tj
T* ( skills in phreaking, though people like Bowen always viewed it more as) Tj
T* ( a means to an end--just a way of getting from computer A to computer) Tj
T* ( B, nothing more. Nonetheless, he allowed phreaking discussion areas in) Tj
T* ( the private sections of PI.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What he refused to allow was discussion areas around credit card) Tj
T* ( fraud. Carding was anathema to Bowen and he watched with alarm as some) Tj
T* ( members of the underground began to shift from phreaking into carding.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Like the transition into phreaking, the move into carding was a) Tj
T* ( logical progression. It occurred over a period of perhaps six months) Tj
T* ( in 1988 and was as obvious as a group of giggling schoolgirls.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Many phreakers saw it simply as another type of phreaking. In fact it) Tj
T* ( was a lot less hassle than manipulating some company's PABX. Instead,) Tj
T* ( you just call up an operator, give him some stranger's credit card) Tj
T* ( number to pay for the call, and you were on your way. Of course, the) Tj
T* ( credit cards had a broader range of uses than the PABXes. The advent) Tj
T* ( of carding meant you could telephone your friends in the US or UK and) Tj
T* ( have a long voice conference call with all of them) Tj
T* ( simultaneously--something which could be a lot tougher to arrange on a) Tj
T* ( PABX. There were other benefits. You could actually charge things with) Tj
T* ( that credit card. As in goods. Mail order goods.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One member of the underground who used the handle Ivan Trotsky,) Tj
T* ( allegedly ordered $50000 worth of goods, including a jet ski, from the) Tj
T* ( US on a stolen card, only to leave it sitting on the Australian docks.) Tj
T* ( The Customs guys don't tend to take stolen credit cards for duty) Tj
T* ( payments. In another instance, Trotsky was allegedly more successful.) Tj
T* ( A try-hard hacker who kept pictures of Karl Marx and Lenin taped to) Tj
T* ( the side of his computer terminal, Trotsky regularly spewed communist) Tj
T* ( doctrine across the underground. A self-contained paradox, he spent) Tj
T* ( his time attending Communist Party of Australia meetings and duck) Tj
T* ( shoots. According to one hacker, Trotsky's particular contribution to) Tj
T* ( the overthrow of the capitalist order was the arrangement of a) Tj
T* ( shipment of expensive modems from the US using stolen credit cards. He) Tj
T* ( was rumoured to have made a tidy profit by selling the modems in the) Tj
T* ( computer community for about $200 each. Apparently, being part of the) Tj
T* ( communist revolution gave him all sorts of ready-made) Tj
ET
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T* ( rationalisations. Membership has its advantages.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To Bowen, carding was little more than theft. Hacking may have been a) Tj
T* ( moral issue, but in early 1988 in Australia it was not yet much of a) Tj
T* ( legal one. Carding was by contrast both a moral and a legal issue.) Tj
T* ( Bowen recognised that some people viewed hacking as a type of) Tj
T* ( theft--stealing someone else's computer resources--but the argument) Tj
T* ( was ambiguous. What if no-one needed those resources at 2 a.m. on a) Tj
T* ( given night? It might be seen more as `borrowing' an under-used asset,) Tj
T* ( since the hacker had not permanently appropriated any property. Not so) Tj
T* ( for carding.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What made carding even less noble was that it required the technical) Tj
T* ( skill of a wind-up toy. Not only was it beneath most good hackers, it) Tj
T* ( attracted the wrong sort of people into the hacking scene. People who) Tj
T* ( had little or no respect for the early Australian underground's golden) Tj
T* ( rules of hacking: don't damage computer systems you break into) Tj
T* ( \(including crashing them\); don't change the information in those) Tj
T* ( systems \(except for altering logs to cover your tracks\); and share) Tj
T* ( information. For most early Australian hackers, visiting someone) Tj
T* ( else's system was a bit like visiting a national park. Leave it as you) Tj
T* ( find it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While the cream seemed to rise to the top of the hacking hierarchy, it) Tj
T* ( was the scum that floated at the top of the carding community. Few) Tj
T* ( people in the underground typified this more completely than Blue) Tj
T* ( Thunder, who had been hanging around the outskirts of the Melbourne) Tj
T* ( underground since at least 1986. The senior hackers treated Blue) Tj
T* ( Blunder, as they sometimes called him, with great derision.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His entrance into the underground was as ignominious as that of a) Tj
T* ( debutante who, delicately descending the grand steps of the ballroom,) Tj
T* ( trips and tumbles head-first onto the dance floor. He picked a fight) Tj
T* ( with the grande doyenne of the Melbourne underground.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Real Article occupied a special place in the underground. For) Tj
T* ( starters, The Real Article was a woman--perhaps the only female to) Tj
T* ( play a major role in the early Melbourne underground scene. Although) Tj
T* ( she didn't hack computers, she knew a lot about them. She ran The Real) Tj
T* ( Connection, a BBS frequented by many of the hackers who hung out on) Tj
T* ( PI. She wasn't somebody's sister wafting in and out of the picture in) Tj
T* ( search of a boyfriend. She was older. She was as good as married. She) Tj
T* ( had kids. She was a force to be reckoned with in the hacking) Tj
T* ( community.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Forthright and formidable, The Real Article commanded considerable) Tj
T* ( respect among the underground. A good indicator of this respect was the) Tj
T* ( fact that the members of H.A.C.K. had inducted her as an honorary member) Tj
T* ( of their exclusive club. Perhaps it was because she ran a popular) Tj
T* ( board. More likely it was because, for all their bluff and bluster, most) Tj
T* ( hackers were young men with the problems of young men. Being older and) Tj
T* ( wiser, The Real Article knew how to lend a sympathetic ear to those) Tj
T* ( problems. As a woman and a non-hacker, she was removed from the jumble) Tj
T* ( of male ego hierarchical problems associated with confiding in a) Tj
T* ( peer. She served as a sort of mother to the embryonic hacking community,) Tj
T* ( but she was young enough to avoid the judgmental pitfalls most parents) Tj
T* ( fall into with children.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Real Article and Blue Thunder went into partnership running a BBS) Tj
T* ( in early 1986. Blue Thunder, then a high-school student, was desperate) Tj
ET
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T* ( to run a board, so she let him co-sysop the system. At first the) Tj
T* ( partnership worked. Blue Thunder used to bring his high-school essays) Tj
T* ( over for her to proofread and correct. But a short time into the) Tj
T* ( partnership, it went sour. The Real Article didn't like Blue Thunder's) Tj
T* ( approach to running a BBS, which appeared to her to be get information) Tj
T* ( from other hackers and then dump them. The specific strategy seemed to) Tj
T* ( be: get hackers to logon and store their valuable information on the) Tj
T* ( BBS, steal that information and then lock them out of their own) Tj
T* ( account. By locking them out, he was able to steal all the glory; he) Tj
T* ( could then claim the hacking secrets were his own. It was, in her) Tj
T* ( opinion, not only unsustainable, but quite immoral. She parted ways) Tj
T* ( with Blue Thunder and excommunicated him from her BBS.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Not long after, The Real Article started getting harassing phone calls) Tj
T* ( at 4 in the morning. The calls were relentless. Four a.m. on the dot,) Tj
T* ( every night. The voice at the other end of the line was computer) Tj
T* ( synthesised. This was followed by a picture of a machine-gun, printed) Tj
T* ( out on a cheap dot matrix printer in Commodore ASCII, delivered in her) Tj
T* ( letterbox. There was a threatening message attached which read) Tj
T* ( something like, `If you want the kids to stay alive, get them out of) Tj
T* ( the house'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After that came the brick through the window. It landed in the back of) Tj
T* ( her TV. Then she woke up one morning to find her phone line dead.) Tj
T* ( Someone had opened the Telecom well in the nature strip across the) Tj
T* ( road and cut out a metre of cable. It meant the phone lines for the) Tj
T* ( entire street were down.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Real Article tended to rise above the petty games that whining) Tj
T* ( adolescent boys with bruised egos could play, but this was too much.) Tj
T* ( She called in Telecom Protective Services, who put a last party) Tj
T* ( release on her phone line to trace the early-morning harassing calls.) Tj
T* ( She suspected Blue Thunder was involved, but nothing was ever proved.) Tj
T* ( Finally, the calls stopped. She voiced her suspicions to others in the) Tj
T* ( computer underground. Whatever shred of reputation Blue Chunder, as he) Tj
T* ( then became known for a time, had was soon decimated.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Since his own technical contributions were seen by his fellow BBS) Tj
T* ( users as limited, Blue Thunder would likely have faded into obscurity,) Tj
T* ( condemned to spend the rest of his time in the underground jumping) Tj
T* ( around the ankles of the aristocratic hackers. But the birth of) Tj
T* ( carding arrived at a fortuitous moment for him and he got into carding) Tj
T* ( in a big way, so big in fact that he soon got busted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( People in the underground recognised him as a liability, both because) Tj
T* ( of what many hackers saw as his loose morals and because he was) Tj
T* ( boastful of his activities. One key hacker said, `He seemed to relish) Tj
T* ( the idea of getting caught. He told people he worked for a credit) Tj
T* ( union and that he stole lots of credit card numbers. He sold) Tj
T* ( information, such as accounts on systems, for financial gain.' In) Tj
T* ( partnership with a carder, he also allegedly sent a bouquet of flowers) Tj
T* ( to the police fraud squad--and paid for it with a stolen credit card) Tj
T* ( number.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 31 August 1988, Blue Thunder faced 22 charges in the Melbourne) Tj
T* ( Magistrates Court, where he managed to get most of the charges dropped) Tj
T* ( or amalgamated. He only ended up pleading guilty to five counts,) Tj
T* ( including deception and theft. The Real Article sat in the back of the) Tj
T* ( courtroom watching the proceedings. Blue Thunder must have been pretty) Tj
T* ( worried about what kind of sentence the magistrate would hand down) Tj
ET
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T* ( because she said he approached her during the lunch break and asked if) Tj
T* ( she would appear as a character witness for the defence. She looked) Tj
T* ( him straight in the eye and said, `I think you would prefer it if I) Tj
T* ( didn't'. He landed 200 hours of community service and an order to pay) Tj
T* ( $706 in costs.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Craig Bowen didn't like where the part of the underground typified by) Tj
T* ( Blue Thunder was headed. In his view, Chunder and Trotsky stood out as) Tj
T* ( bad apples in an otherwise healthy group, and they signalled an) Tj
T* ( unpleasant shift towards selling information. This was perhaps the) Tj
T* ( greatest taboo. It was dirty. It was seedy. It was the realm of) Tj
T* ( criminals, not explorers. The Australian computer underground had) Tj
T* ( started to lose some of its fresh-faced innocence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Somewhere in the midst of all this, a new player entered the Melbourne) Tj
T* ( underground. His name was Stuart Gill, from a company called) Tj
T* ( Hackwatch.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Bowen met Stuart through Kevin Fitzgerald, a well-known local hacker) Tj
T* ( commentator who founded the Chisholm Institute of Technology's) Tj
T* ( Computer Abuse Research Bureau, which later became the Australian) Tj
T* ( Computer Abuse Research Bureau. After seeing a newspaper article) Tj
T* ( quoting Fitzgerald, Craig decided to ring up the man many members of) Tj
T* ( the underground considered to be a hacker-catcher. Why not? There were) Tj
T* ( no federal laws in Australia against hacking, so Bowen didn't feel) Tj
T* ( that nervous about it. Besides, he wanted to meet the enemy. No-one) Tj
T* ( from the Australian underground had ever done it before, and Bowen) Tj
T* ( decided it was high time. He wanted to set the record straight with) Tj
T* ( Fitzgerald, to let him know what hackers were really on about. They) Tj
T* ( began to talk periodically on the phone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Along the way, Bowen met Stuart Gill who said that he was working with) Tj
T* ( Fitzgerald.4 Before long, Gill began visiting PI. Eventually, Bowen) Tj
T* ( visited Gill in person at the Mount Martha home he shared with his) Tj
T* ( elderly aunt and uncle. Stuart had all sorts of computer equipment) Tj
T* ( hooked up there, and a great number of boxes of papers in the garage.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh, hello there, Paul,' Gill's ancient-looking uncle said when he saw) Tj
T* ( the twosome. As soon as the old man had tottered off, Gill pulled) Tj
T* ( Bowen aside confidentially.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Don't worry about old Eric,' he said. `He lost it in the war. Today) Tj
T* ( he thinks I'm Paul, tomorrow it will be someone else.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Bowen nodded, understanding.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There were many strange things about Stuart Gill, all of which seemed) Tj
T* ( to have a rational explanation, yet that explanation somehow never) Tj
T* ( quite answered the question in full.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Aged in his late thirties, he was much older and far more worldly than) Tj
T* ( Craig Bowen. He had very, very pale skin--so pasty it looked as though) Tj
T* ( he had never sat in the sun in his life.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gill drew Bowen into the complex web of his life. Soon he told the) Tj
T* ( young hacker that he wasn't just running Hackwatch, he was also) Tj
T* ( involved in intelligence work. For the Australian Federal Police. For) Tj
T* ( ASIO. For the National Crime Authority. For the Victoria Police's) Tj
T* ( Bureau of Criminal Intelligence \(BCI\). He showed Bowen some secret) Tj
T* ( computer files and documents, but he made him sign a special form) Tj
ET
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T* ( first--a legal-looking document demanding non-disclosure based on some) Tj
T* ( sort of official secrets act.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Bowen was impressed. Why wouldn't he be? Gill's cloak-and-dagger world) Tj
T* ( looked like the perfect boy's own adventure. Even bigger and better) Tj
T* ( than hacking. He was a little strange, but that was part of the) Tj
T* ( allure.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Like the time they took a trip to Sale together around Christmas 1988.) Tj
T* ( Gill told Bowen he had to get out of town for a few days--certain) Tj
T* ( undesirable people were after him. He didn't drive, so could Craig) Tj
T* ( help him out? Sure, no problem. They had shared an inexpensive motel) Tj
T* ( room in Sale, paid for by Gill.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Being so close to Christmas, Stuart told Craig he had brought him two) Tj
T* ( presents. Craig opened the first--a John Travolta fitness book. When) Tj
T* ( Craig opened the second gift, he was a little stunned. It was a red) Tj
T* ( G-string for men. Craig didn't have a girlfriend at the time--perhaps) Tj
T* ( Stuart was trying to help him get one.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh, ah, thanks,' Craig said, a bit confused.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Glad you like it,' Stuart said. `Go on. Try it on.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Try it on?' Craig was now very confused.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, mate, you know, to see if it fits. That's all.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh, um, right.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Craig hesitated. He didn't want to seem rude. It was a weird request,) Tj
T* ( but never having been given a G-string before, he didn't know the) Tj
T* ( normal protocol. After all, when someone gives you a jumper, it's) Tj
T* ( normal for them to ask you to try it on, then and there, to see if it) Tj
T* ( fits.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Craig tried it on. Quickly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yes, seems to fit,' Stuart said matter of factly, then turned away.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Craig felt relieved. He changed back into his clothing.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That night, and on many others during their trips or during Craig's) Tj
T* ( overnight visits to Stuart's uncle's house, Craig lay in bed wondering) Tj
T* ( about his secretive new friend.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Stuart was definitely a little weird, but he seemed to like women so) Tj
T* ( Craig figured he couldn't be interested in Craig that way. Stuart) Tj
T* ( bragged that he had a very close relationship with a female newspaper) Tj
T* ( reporter, and he always seemed to be chatting up the girl at the video) Tj
T* ( store.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Craig tried not to read too much into Stuart's odd behaviour, for the) Tj
T* ( young man was willing to forgive his friend's eccentricities just to) Tj
T* ( be part of the action. Soon Stuart asked Craig for access to) Tj
T* ( PI--unrestricted access.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The idea made Craig uncomfortable, but Stuart was so persuasive. How) Tj
T* ( would he be able to continue his vital intelligence work without) Tj
T* ( access to Victoria's most important hacking board? Besides, Stuart) Tj
ET
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T* ( Gill of Hackwatch wasn't after innocent-faced hackers like Craig) Tj
T* ( Bowen. In fact, he would protect Bowen when the police came down on) Tj
T* ( everyone. What Stuart really wanted was the carders--the fraudsters.) Tj
T* ( Craig didn't want to protect people like that, did he?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Craig found it a little odd, as usual, that Stuart seemed to be after) Tj
T* ( the carders, yet he had chummed up with Ivan Trotsky. Still, there) Tj
T* ( were no doubt secrets Stuart couldn't reveal--things he wasn't allowed) Tj
T* ( to explain because of his intelligence work.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Craig agreed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What Craig couldn't have known as he pondered Stuart Gill from the) Tj
T* ( safety of his boyish bedroom was exactly how much innocence the) Tj
T* ( underground was still to lose. If he had foreseen the next few) Tj
T* ( years--the police raids, the Ombudsman's investigation, the stream of) Tj
T* ( newspaper articles and the court cases--Craig Bowen would, at that) Tj
T* ( very moment, probably have reached over and turned off his beloved PI) Tj
T* ( and Zen forever.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Chapter 3 -- The American Connection) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( US forces give the nod) Tj
T* ( It's a setback for your country ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( -- from `US Forces', on 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 by Midnight Oil1) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force had a secret. The Parmaster wanted it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Like most hackers, The Parmaster didn't just want the secret, he) Tj
T* ( needed it. He was in that peculiar state attained by real hackers) Tj
T* ( where they will do just about anything to obtain a certain piece of) Tj
T* ( information. He was obsessed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Of course, it wasn't the first time The Parmaster craved a juicy piece) Tj
T* ( of information. Both he and Force knew all about infatuation. That's) Tj
T* ( how it worked with real hackers. They didn't just fancy a titbit here) Tj
T* ( and there. Once they knew information about a particular system was) Tj
T* ( available, that there was a hidden entrance, they chased it down) Tj
T* ( relentlessly. So that was exactly what Par was doing. Chasing Force) Tj
T* ( endlessly, until he got what he wanted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It began innocently enough as idle conversation between two giants in) Tj
T* ( the computer underground in the first half of 1988. Force, the) Tj
T* ( well-known Australian hacker who ran the exclusive Realm BBS in) Tj
T* ( Melbourne, sat chatting with Par, the American master of X.25) Tj
T* ( networks, in Germany. Neither of them was physically in Germany, but) Tj
T* ( Altos was.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Altos Computer Systems in Hamburg ran a conference feature called) Tj
T* ( Altos Chat on one of its machines. You could call up from anywhere on) Tj
T* ( the X.25 data communications network, and the company's computer would) Tj
T* ( let you connect. Once connected, with a few brief keystrokes, the) Tj
T* ( German machine would drop you into a real-time, on-screen talk session) Tj
T* ( with anyone else who happened to be on-line. While the rest of the) Tj
ET
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T* ( company's computer system grunted and toiled with everyday labours,) Tj
T* ( this corner of the machine was reserved for live on-line chatting. For) Tj
T* ( free. It was like an early form of the Internet Relay Chat. The) Tj
T* ( company probably hadn't meant to become the world's most prestigious) Tj
T* ( hacker hang-out, but it soon ended up doing so.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Altos was the first significant international live chat channel, and) Tj
T* ( for most hackers it was an amazing thing. The good hackers had cruised) Tj
T* ( through lots of computer networks around the world. Sometimes they) Tj
T* ( bumped into one another on-line and exchanged the latest gossip.) Tj
T* ( Occasionally, they logged into overseas BBSes, where they posted) Tj
T* ( messages. But Altos was different. While underground BBSes had a) Tj
T* ( tendency to simply disappear one day, gone forever, Altos was always) Tj
T* ( there. It was live. Instantaneous communications with a dozen other) Tj
T* ( hackers from all sorts of exotic places. Italy. Canada. France.) Tj
T* ( England. Israel. The US. And all these people not only shared an) Tj
T* ( interest in computer networks but also a flagrant contempt for) Tj
T* ( authority of any type. Instant, real-time penpals--with attitude.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( However, Altos was more exclusive than the average underground BBS.) Tj
T* ( Wanna-be hackers had trouble getting into it because of the way X.25) Tj
T* ( networks were billed. Some systems on the network took reverse-charge) Tj
T* ( connections--like a 1-800 number--and some, including Altos, didn't.) Tj
T* ( To get to Altos you needed a company's NUI \(Network User Identifier\),) Tj
T* ( which was like a calling card number for the X.25 network, used to) Tj
T* ( bill your time on-line. Or you had to have access to a system like) Tj
T* ( Minerva which automatically accepted billing for all the connections) Tj
T* ( made.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( X.25 networks are different in various ways from the Internet, which) Tj
T* ( developed later. X.25 networks use different communication protocols) Tj
T* ( and, unlike the Internet at the user-level, they only use addresses) Tj
T* ( containing numbers not letters. Each packet of information travelling) Tj
T* ( over a data network needs to be encased in a particular type of) Tj
T* ( envelope. A `letter' sent across the X.25 network needs an X.25) Tj
T* ( `stamped' envelope, not an Internet `stamped' envelope.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The X.25 networks were controlled by a few very large players,) Tj
T* ( companies such as Telenet and Tymnet, while the modern Internet is, by) Tj
T* ( contrast, a fragmented collection of many small and medium-sized) Tj
T* ( sites.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Altos unified the international hacking world as nothing else had) Tj
T* ( done. In sharing information about their own countries' computers and) Tj
T* ( networks, hackers helped each other venture further and further) Tj
T* ( abroad. The Australians had gained quite a reputation on Altos. They) Tj
T* ( knew their stuff. More importantly, they possessed DEFCON, a program) Tj
T* ( which mapped out uncharted networks and scanned for accounts on) Tj
T* ( systems within them. Force wrote DEFCON based on a simple automatic) Tj
T* ( scanning program provided by his friend and mentor, Craig Bowen) Tj
T* ( \(Thunderbird1\).) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Like the telephone system, the X.25 networks had a large number of) Tj
T* ( `phone numbers', called network user addresses \(NUAs\). Most were not) Tj
T* ( valid. They simply hadn't been assigned to anyone yet. To break into) Tj
T* ( computers on the network, you had to find them first, which meant) Tj
T* ( either hearing about a particular system from a fellow hacker or) Tj
T* ( scanning. Scanning--typing in one possible address after another--was) Tj
T* ( worse than looking for a needle in a haystack. 02624-589004-0004. Then) Tj
T* ( increasing the last digit by one on each attempt. 0005. 0006. 0007.) Tj
ET
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T* ( Until you hit a machine at the other end.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Back in 1987 or early 1988, Force had logged into Pacific Island for a) Tj
T* ( talk with Craig Bowen. Force bemoaned the tediousness of hand) Tj
T* ( scanning.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, why the hell are you doing it manually?' Bowen responded. `You) Tj
T* ( should just use my program.' He then gave Force the source code for) Tj
T* ( his simple automated scanning program, along with instructions.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force went through the program and decided it would serve as a good) Tj
T* ( launchpad for bigger things, but it had a major limitation. The) Tj
T* ( program could only handle one connection at a time, which meant it) Tj
T* ( could only scan one branch of a network at a time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Less than three months later, Force had rewritten Bowen's program into) Tj
T* ( the far more powerful DEFCON, which became the jewel in the crown of) Tj
T* ( the Australian hackers' reputation. With DEFCON, a hacker could) Tj
T* ( automatically scan fifteen or twenty network addresses simultaneously.) Tj
T* ( He could command the computer to map out pieces of the Belgian,) Tj
T* ( British and Greek X.25 communications networks, looking for computers) Tj
T* ( hanging off the networks like buds at the tips of tree branches.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Conceptually, the difference was a little like using a basic PC, which) Tj
T* ( can only run one program at a time, as opposed to operating a more) Tj
T* ( sophisticated one where you can open many windows with different) Tj
T* ( programs running all at once. Even though you might only be working in) Tj
T* ( one window, say, writing a letter, the computer might be doing) Tj
T* ( calculations in a spreadsheet in another window in the background. You) Tj
T* ( can swap between) Tj
T* ( different functions, which are all running in the background) Tj
T* ( simultaneously.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While DEFCON was busy scanning, Force could do other things, such as) Tj
T* ( talk on Altos. He continued improving DEFCON, writing up to four more) Tj
T* ( versions of the program. Before long, DEFCON didn't just scan twenty) Tj
T* ( different connections at one time; it also automatically tried to) Tj
T* ( break into all the computers it found through those connections.) Tj
T* ( Though the program only tried basic default passwords, it had a fair) Tj
T* ( degree of success, since it could attack so many network addresses at) Tj
T* ( once. Further, new sites and mini-networks were being added so quickly) Tj
T* ( that security often fell by the wayside in the rush to join in. Since) Tj
T* ( the addresses were unpublished, companies often felt this obscurity) Tj
T* ( offered enough protection.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( DEFCON produced lists of thousands of computer sites to raid. Force) Tj
T* ( would leave it scanning from a hacked Prime computer, and a day or two) Tj
T* ( later he would have an output file with 6000 addresses on different) Tj
T* ( networks. He perused the list and selected sites which caught his) Tj
T* ( attention. If his program had discovered an interesting address, he) Tj
T* ( would travel over the X.25 network to the site and then try to break) Tj
T* ( into the computer at that address. Alternatively, DEFCON might have) Tj
T* ( already successfully penetrated the machine using a default password,) Tj
T* ( in which case the address, account name and password would all be) Tj
T* ( waiting for Force in the log file. He could just walk right in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Everyone on Altos wanted DEFCON, but Force refused to hand over the) Tj
T* ( program. No way was he going to have other hackers tearing up virgin) Tj
T* ( networks. Not even Erik Bloodaxe, one of the leaders of the most) Tj
T* ( prestigious American hacking group, Legion of Doom \(LOD\), got DEFCON) Tj
ET
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T* ( when he asked for it. Erik took his handle from the name of a Viking) Tj
T* ( king who ruled over the area now known as York, England. Although Erik) Tj
T* ( was on friendly terms with the Australian hackers, Force remained) Tj
T* ( adamant. He would not let the jewel out of his hands.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But on this fateful day in 1988, Par didn't want DEFCON. He wanted the) Tj
T* ( secret Force had just discovered, but held so very close to his chest.) Tj
T* ( And the Australian didn't want to give it to him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force was a meticulous hacker. His bedroom was remarkably tidy, for a) Tj
T* ( hacker's room. It had a polished, spartan quality. There were a few) Tj
T* ( well-placed pieces of minimalist furniture:) Tj
T* ( a black enamel metal single bed, a modern black bedside) Tj
T* ( table and a single picture on the wall--a photographic poster of) Tj
T* ( lightning, framed in glass. The largest piece of furniture was a) Tj
T* ( blue-grey desk with a return, upon which sat his computer, a printer) Tj
T* ( and an immaculate pile of print-outs. The bookcase, a tall modern) Tj
T* ( piece matching the rest of the furniture, contained an extensive) Tj
T* ( collection of fantasy fiction books, including what seemed to be) Tj
T* ( almost everything ever written by David Eddings. The lower shelves) Tj
T* ( housed assorted chemistry and programming books. A chemistry award) Tj
T* ( proudly jutted out from the shelf housing a few Dungeons and Dragons) Tj
T* ( books.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He kept his hacking notes in an orderly set of plastic folders, all) Tj
T* ( filed in the bottom of his bookcase. Each page of notes, neatly) Tj
T* ( printed and surrounded by small, tidy handwriting revealing updates) Tj
T* ( and minor corrections, had its own plastic cover to prevent smudges or) Tj
T* ( stains.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force thought it was inefficient to hand out his DEFCON program and) Tj
T* ( have ten people scan the same network ten different times. It wasted) Tj
T* ( time and resources. Further, it was becoming harder to get access to) Tj
T* ( the main X.25 sites in Australia, like Minerva. Scanning was the type) Tj
T* ( of activity likely to draw the attention of a system admin and result) Tj
T* ( in the account being killed. The more people who scanned, the more) Tj
T* ( accounts would be killed, and the less access the Australian hackers) Tj
T* ( would have. So Force refused to hand over DEFCON to hackers outside) Tj
T* ( The Realm, which is one thing that made it such a powerful group.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Scanning with DEFCON meant using Netlink, a program which legitimate) Tj
T* ( users didn't often employ. In his hunt for hackers, an admin might) Tj
T* ( look for people running Netlink, or he might just examine which) Tj
T* ( systems a user was connecting to. For example, if a hacker connected) Tj
T* ( directly to Altos from Minerva without hopping through a respectable) Tj
T* ( midpoint, such as another corporate machine overseas, he could count) Tj
T* ( on the Minerva admins killing off the account.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( DEFCON was revolutionary for its time, and difficult to reproduce. It) Tj
T* ( was written for Prime computers, and not many hackers knew how to) Tj
T* ( write programs for Primes. In fact, it was exceedingly difficult for) Tj
T* ( most hackers to learn programming of any sort for large, commercial) Tj
T* ( machines. Getting the system engineering manuals was tough work and) Tj
T* ( many of the large companies guarded their manuals almost as trade) Tj
T* ( secrets. Sure, if you bought a $100000 system, the company would give) Tj
T* ( you a few sets of operating manuals, but that was well beyond the) Tj
T* ( reach of a teenage hacker. In general, information was hoarded--by the) Tj
T* ( computer manufacturers, by the big companies which bought the systems,) Tj
T* ( by the system administrators and even by the universities.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Learning on-line was slow and almost as difficult. Most hackers used) Tj
T* ( 300 or 1200 baud modems. Virtually all access to these big, expensive) Tj
T* ( machines was illegal. Every moment on-line was a risky proposition.) Tj
T* ( High schools never had these sorts of expensive machines. Although) Tj
T* ( many universities had systems, the administrators were usually miserly) Tj
T* ( with time on-line for students. In most cases, students only got) Tj
T* ( accounts on the big machines in their second year of computer science) Tj
T* ( studies. Even then, student accounts were invariably on the) Tj
T* ( university's oldest, clunkiest machine. And if you weren't a comp-sci) Tj
T* ( student, forget it. Indulging your intellectual curiosity in VMS) Tj
T* ( systems would never be anything more than a pipe dream.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Even if you did manage to overcome all the roadblocks and develop some) Tj
T* ( programming experience in VMS systems, for example, you might only be) Tj
T* ( able to access a small number of machines on any given network. The) Tj
T* ( X.25 networks connected a large number of machines which used very) Tj
T* ( different operating systems. Many, such as Primes, were not in the) Tj
T* ( least bit intuitive. So if you knew VMS and you hit a Prime machine,) Tj
T* ( well, that was pretty much it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Unless, of course, you happened to belong to a clan of hackers like) Tj
T* ( The Realm. Then you could call up the BBS and post a message. `Hey, I) Tj
T* ( found a really cool Primos system at this address. Ran into problems) Tj
T* ( trying to figure the parameters of the Netlink command. Ideas anyone?') Tj
T* ( And someone from your team would step forward to help.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In The Realm, Force tried to assemble a diverse group of Australia's) Tj
T* ( best hackers, each with a different area of expertise. And he happened) Tj
T* ( to be the resident expert in Prime computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Although Force wouldn't give DEFCON to anyone outside The Realm, he) Tj
T* ( wasn't unreasonable. If you weren't in the system but you had an) Tj
T* ( interesting network you wanted mapped, he would scan it for you. Force) Tj
T* ( referred to scans for network user addresses as `NUA sprints'. He) Tj
T* ( would give you a copy of the NUA sprint. While he was at it, he would) Tj
T* ( also keep a copy for The Realm. That was efficient. Force's pet) Tj
T* ( project was creating a database of systems and networks for The Realm,) Tj
T* ( so he simply added the new information to its database.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force's great passion was mapping new networks, and new mini-networks) Tj
T* ( were being added to the main X.25 networks all the time. A large) Tj
T* ( corporation, such a BHP, might set up its own small-scale network) Tj
T* ( connecting its offices in Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria and) Tj
T* ( the United Kingdom. That mini-network might be attached to a) Tj
T* ( particular X.25 network, such as Austpac. Get into the Austpac network) Tj
T* ( and chances were you could get into any of the company's sites.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Exploration of all this uncharted territory consumed most of Force's) Tj
T* ( time. There was something cutting-edge, something truly adventurous) Tj
T* ( about finding a new network and carefully piecing together a picture) Tj
T* ( of what the expanding web looked like. He drew detailed pictures and) Tj
T* ( diagrams showing how a new part of the network connected to the rest.) Tj
T* ( Perhaps it appealed to his sense of order, or maybe he was just an) Tj
T* ( adventurer at heart. Whatever the underlying motivation, the maps) Tj
T* ( provided The Realm with yet another highly prized asset.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When he wasn't mapping networks, Force published Australia's first) Tj
T* ( underground hacking journal, Globetrotter. Widely read in the) Tj
T* ( international hacking community, Globetrotter reaffirmed Australian) Tj
T* ( hackers' pre-eminent position in the international underground.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But on this particular day, Par wasn't thinking about getting a copy) Tj
T* ( of Globetrotter or asking Force to scan a network for him. He was) Tj
T* ( thinking about that secret. Force's new secret. The secret Parmaster) Tj
T* ( desperately wanted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force had been using DEFCON to scan half a dozen networks while he) Tj
T* ( chatted to Par on Altos. He found an interesting connection from the) Tj
T* ( scan, so he went off to investigate it. When he connected to the) Tj
T* ( unknown computer, it started firing off strings of numbers at Force's) Tj
T* ( machine. Force sat at his desk and watched the characters rush by on) Tj
T* ( his screen.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was very odd. He hadn't done anything. He hadn't sent any commands) Tj
T* ( to the mystery computer. He hadn't made the slightest attempt to break) Tj
T* ( into the machine. Yet here the thing was throwing streams of numbers.) Tj
T* ( What kind of computer was this? There might have been some sort of) Tj
T* ( header which would identify the computer, but it had zoomed by so fast) Tj
T* ( in the unexpected data dump that Force had missed it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force flipped over to his chat with Par on Altos. He didn't completely) Tj
T* ( trust Par, thinking the friendly American sailed a bit close to the) Tj
T* ( wind. But Par was an expert in X.25 networks and was bound to have) Tj
T* ( some clue about these numbers. Besides, if they turned out to be) Tj
T* ( something sensitive, Force didn't have to tell Par where he found) Tj
T* ( them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I've just found a bizarre address. It is one strange system. When I) Tj
T* ( connected, it just started shooting off numbers at me. Check these) Tj
T* ( out.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force didn't know what the numbers were, but Par sure did. `Those look) Tj
T* ( like credit cards,' he typed back.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh.' Force went quiet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par thought the normally chatty Australian hacker seemed astonished.) Tj
T* ( After a short silence, the now curious Par nudged the conversation) Tj
T* ( forward. `I have a way I can check out whether they really are valid) Tj
T* ( cards,' he volunteered. `It'll take some time, but I should be able to) Tj
T* ( do it and get back to you.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yes.' Force seemed hesitant. `OK.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On the other side of the Pacific from Par, Force thought about this) Tj
T* ( turn of events. If they were valid credit cards, that was very cool.) Tj
T* ( Not because he intended to use them for credit card fraud in the way) Tj
T* ( Ivan Trotsky might have done. But Force could use them for making) Tj
T* ( long-distance phone calls to hack overseas. And the sheer number of) Tj
T* ( cards was astonishing. Thousand and thousands of them. Maybe 10000.) Tj
T* ( All he could think was, Shit! Free connections for the rest of my) Tj
T* ( life.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hackers such as Force considered using cards to call overseas computer) Tj
T* ( systems a little distasteful, but certainly acceptable. The card owner) Tj
T* ( would never end up paying the bill anyway. The hackers figured that) Tj
T* ( Telecom, which they despised, would probably have to wear the cost in) Tj
T* ( the end, and that was fine by them. Using cards to hack was nothing) Tj
T* ( like ordering consumer goods. That was real credit card fraud. And) Tj
T* ( Force would never sully his hands with that sort of behaviour.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force scrolled back over his capture of the numbers which had been) Tj
T* ( injected into his machine. After closer inspection, he saw there were) Tj
T* ( headers which appeared periodically through the list. One said,) Tj
T* ( `CitiSaudi'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He checked the prefix of the mystery machine's network address again.) Tj
T* ( He knew from previous scans that it belonged to one of the world's) Tj
T* ( largest banks. Citibank.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The data dump continued for almost three hours. After that, the) Tj
T* ( Citibank machine seemed to go dead. Force saw nothing but a blank) Tj
T* ( screen, but he kept the connection open. There was no way he was going) Tj
T* ( to hang up from this conversation. He figured this had to be a freak) Tj
T* ( connection--that he accidentally connected to this machine somehow,) Tj
T* ( that it wasn't really at the address he had tried based on the DEFCON) Tj
T* ( scan of Citibank's network.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( How else could it have happened? Surely Citibank wouldn't have a) Tj
T* ( computer full of credit cards which spilled its guts every time) Tj
T* ( someone rang up to say `hello'? There would be tonnes of security on a) Tj
T* ( machine like that. This machine didn't even have a password. It didn't) Tj
T* ( even need a special character command, like a secret handshake.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Freak connections happened now and then on X.25) Tj
T* ( networks. They had the same effect as a missed voice phone) Tj
T* ( connection. You dial a friend's number--and you dial it correctly--but) Tj
T* ( somehow the call gets screwed up in the tangle of wires and exchanges) Tj
T* ( and your call gets put through to another number entirely. Of course,) Tj
T* ( once something like that happens to an X.25 hacker, he immediately) Tj
T* ( tries to figure out what the hell is going on, to search every shred) Tj
T* ( of data from the machine looking for the system's real address.) Tj
T* ( Because it was an accident, he suspects he will never find the machine) Tj
T* ( again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force stayed home from school for two days to keep the connection) Tj
T* ( alive and to piece together how he landed on the doorstep of this) Tj
T* ( computer. During this time, the Citibank computer woke up a few times,) Tj
T* ( dumped a bit more information, and then went back to sleep. Keeping) Tj
T* ( the connection alive meant running a small risk of discovery by an) Tj
T* ( admin at his launch point, but the rewards in this case far exceeded) Tj
T* ( the risk.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It wasn't all that unusual for Force to skip school to hack. His) Tj
T* ( parents used to tell him, `You better stop it, or you'll have to wear) Tj
T* ( glasses one day'. Still, they didn't seem to worry too much, since) Tj
T* ( their son had always excelled in school without much effort. At the) Tj
T* ( start of his secondary school career he had tried to convince his) Tj
T* ( teachers he should skip year 9. Some objected. It was a hassle, but he) Tj
T* ( finally arranged it by quietly doing the coursework for year 9 while) Tj
T* ( he was in year 8.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After Force had finally disconnected from the CitiSaudi computer and) Tj
T* ( had a good sleep, he decided to check on whether he could reconnect to) Tj
T* ( the machine. At first, no-one answered, but when he tried a little) Tj
T* ( later, someone answered all right. And it was the same talkative) Tj
T* ( resident who answered the door the first time. Although it only seemed) Tj
T* ( to work at certain hours of the day, the Citibank network address was) Tj
T* ( the right one. He was in again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( As Force looked over the captures from his Citibank hack, he noticed) Tj
T* ( that the last section of the data dump didn't contain credit card) Tj
T* ( numbers like the first part. It had people's names--Middle Eastern) Tj
T* ( names--and a list of transactions. Dinner at a restaurant. A visit to) Tj
T* ( a brothel. All sorts of transactions. There was also a number which) Tj
T* ( looked like a credit limit, in come cases a very, very large limit,) Tj
T* ( for each person. A sheik and his wife appeared to have credit limits) Tj
T* ( of $1 million--each. Another name had a limit of $5 million.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was something strange about the data, Force thought. It was not) Tj
T* ( structured in a way which suggested the Citibank machine was merely) Tj
T* ( transmitting data to another machine. It looked more like a text file) Tj
T* ( which was being dumped from a computer to a line printer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force sat back and considered his exquisite discovery. He decided this) Tj
T* ( was something he would share only with a very few close, trusted) Tj
T* ( friends from The Realm. He would tell Phoenix and perhaps one other) Tj
T* ( member, but no-one else.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As he looked through the data once more, Force began to feel a little) Tj
T* ( anxious. Citibank was a huge financial institution, dependent on the) Tj
T* ( complete confidence of its customers. The corporation would lose a lot) Tj
T* ( of face if news of Force's discovery got out. It might care enough to) Tj
T* ( really come after him. Then, with the sudden clarity of the lightning) Tj
T* ( strike photo which hung on his wall, a single thought filled his mind.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( I am playing with fire.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Where did you get those numbers?' Par asked Force next time they were) Tj
T* ( both on Altos.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force hedged. Par leaped forward.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I checked those numbers for you. They're valid,' he told Force. The) Tj
T* ( American was more than intrigued. He wanted that network address. It) Tj
T* ( was lust. Next stop, mystery machine. `So, what's the address?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That was the one question Force didn't want to hear. He and Par had a) Tj
T* ( good relationship, sharing information comfortably if occasionally.) Tj
T* ( But that relationship only went so far. For all he knew, Par might) Tj
T* ( have a less than desirable use for the information. Force didn't know) Tj
T* ( if Par carded, but he felt sure Par had friends who might be into it.) Tj
T* ( So Force refused to tell Par where to find the mystery machine.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par wasn't going to give up all that easily. Not that he would use the) Tj
T* ( cards for free cash, but, hey, the mystery machine seemed like a very) Tj
T* ( cool place to check out. There would be no peace for Force until Par) Tj
T* ( got what he wanted. Nothing is so tempting to a hacker as the faintest) Tj
T* ( whiff of information about a system he wants, and Par hounded Force) Tj
T* ( until the Australian hacker relented just a bit.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally Force told Par roughly where DEFCON had been scanning for) Tj
T* ( addresses when it stumbled upon the CitiSaudi machine. Force wasn't) Tj
T* ( handing over the street address, just the name of the suburb. DEFCON) Tj
T* ( had been accessing the Citibank network through Telenet, a large) Tj
T* ( American data network using X.25 communications protocols. The) Tj
T* ( sub-prefixes for the Citibank portion of the network were 223 and 224.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Par pestered Force some more for the rest of the numbers, but the) Tj
T* ( Australian had dug his heels in. Force was too careful a player, too) Tj
T* ( fastidious a hacker, to allow himself to get mixed up in the things) Tj
T* ( Par might get up to.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( OK, thought the seventeen-year-old Par, I can do this without you. Par) Tj
T* ( estimated there were 20000 possible addresses on that network, any one) Tj
T* ( of which might be the home of the mystery machine. But he assumed the) Tj
T* ( machine would be in the low end of the network, since the lower) Tj
T* ( numbers were usually used first and the higher numbers were generally) Tj
T* ( saved for other, special network functions. His assumptions narrowed) Tj
T* ( the likely search field to about 2000 possible addresses.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par began hand-scanning on the Citibank Global Telecommunications) Tj
T* ( Network \(GTN\) looking for the mystery machine. Using his knowledge of) Tj
T* ( the X.25 network, he picked a number to start with. He typed 22301,) Tj
T* ( 22302, 22303. On and on, heading toward 22310000. Hour after hour,) Tj
T* ( slowly, laboriously, working his way through all the options, Par) Tj
T* ( scanned out a piece, or a range, within the network. When he got bored) Tj
T* ( with the 223 prefix, he tried out the 224 one for a bit of variety.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Bleary-eyed and exhausted after a long night at the computer, Par felt) Tj
T* ( like calling it quits. The sun had splashed through the windows of his) Tj
T* ( Salinas, California, apartment hours ago. His living room was a mess,) Tj
T* ( with empty, upturned beer cans circling his Apple IIe. Par gave up for) Tj
T* ( a while, caught some shut-eye. He had gone through the entire list of) Tj
T* ( possible addresses, knocking at all the doors, and nothing had) Tj
T* ( happened. But over the next few days he returned to scanning the) Tj
T* ( network again. He decided to be more methodical about it and do the) Tj
T* ( whole thing from scratch a second time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He was part way through the second scan when it happened. Par's) Tj
T* ( computer connected to something. He sat up and peered toward the) Tj
T* ( screen. What was going on? He checked the address. He was sure he had) Tj
T* ( tried this one before and nothing had answered. Things were definitely) Tj
T* ( getting strange. He stared at his computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The screen was blank, with the cursor blinking silently at the top.) Tj
T* ( Now what? What had Force done to get the computer to sing its song?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par tried pressing the control key and a few different letters.) Tj
T* ( Nothing. Maybe this wasn't the right address after all. He) Tj
T* ( disconnected from the machine and carefully wrote down the address,) Tj
T* ( determined to try it again later.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On his third attempt, he connected again but found the same irritating) Tj
T* ( blank screen. This time he went through the entire alphabet with the) Tj
T* ( control key.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Control L.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That was the magic keystroke. The one that made CitiSaudi give up its) Tj
T* ( mysterious cache. The one that gave Par an adrenalin rush, along with) Tj
T* ( thousands and thousands of cards. Instant cash, flooding his screen.) Tj
T* ( He turned on the screen capture so he could collect all the) Tj
T* ( information flowing past and analyse it later. Par had to keep feeding) Tj
T* ( his little Apple IIe more disks to store all the data coming in) Tj
T* ( through his 1200 baud modem.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was magnificent. Par savoured the moment, thinking about how much) Tj
ET
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T* ( he was going to enjoy telling Force. It was going to be sweet. Hey,) Tj
T* ( Aussie, you aren't the only show in town. See ya in Citibank.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An hour or so later, when the CitiSaudi data dump had finally) Tj
T* ( finished, Par was stunned at what he found in his capture. These) Tj
T* ( weren't just any old cards. These were debit cards, and they were held) Tj
T* ( by very rich Arabs. These people just plopped a few million in a bank) Tj
T* ( account and linked a small, rectangular piece of plastic to that) Tj
T* ( account. Every charge came directly out of the bank balance. One guy) Tj
T* ( listed in the data dump bought a $330,000 Mercedes Benz in) Tj
T* ( Istanbul--on his card. Par couldn't imagine being able to throw down a) Tj
T* ( bit of plastic for that. Taking that plastic out for a spin around the) Tj
T* ( block would bring a whole new meaning to the expression, `Charge it!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When someone wins the lottery, they often feel like sharing with their) Tj
T* ( friends. Which is exactly what Par did. First, he showed his) Tj
T* ( room-mates. They thought it was very cool. But not nearly so cool as) Tj
T* ( the half dozen hackers and phreakers who happened to be on the) Tj
T* ( telephone bridge Par frequented when the master of X.25 read off a) Tj
T* ( bunch of the cards.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par was a popular guy after that day. Par was great, a sort of Robin) Tj
T* ( Hood of the underground. Soon, everyone wanted to talk to him. Hackers) Tj
T* ( in New York. Phreakers in Virginia. And the Secret Service in San) Tj
T* ( Francisco.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Par didn't mean to fall in love with Theorem. It was an accident, and) Tj
T* ( he couldn't have picked a worse girl to fall for. For starters, she) Tj
T* ( lived in Switzerland. She was 23 and he was only seventeen. She also) Tj
T* ( happened to be in a relationship--and that relationship was with) Tj
T* ( Electron, one of the best Australian hackers of the late 1980s. But) Tj
T* ( Par couldn't help himself. She was irresistible, even though he had) Tj
T* ( never met her in person. Theorem was different. She was smart and) Tj
T* ( funny, but refined, as a European woman can be.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They met on Altos in 1988.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem didn't hack computers. She didn't need to, since she could) Tj
T* ( connect to Altos through her old university computer account. She had) Tj
T* ( first found Altos on 23 December 1986. She remembered the date for two) Tj
T* ( reasons. First, she was amazed) Tj
T* ( at the power of Altos--that she could have a live conversation on-line) Tj
T* ( with a dozen people in different countries at the same time. Altos was) Tj
T* ( a whole new world for her. Second, that was the day she met Electron.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron made Theorem laugh. His sardonic, irreverent humour hit a) Tj
T* ( chord with her. Traditional Swiss society could be stifling and) Tj
T* ( closed, but Electron was a breath of fresh air. Theorem was Swiss but) Tj
T* ( she didn't always fit the mould. She hated skiing. She was six feet) Tj
T* ( tall. She liked computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When they met on-line, the 21-year-old Theorem was at a crossroad in) Tj
T* ( her youth. She had spent a year and a half at university studying) Tj
T* ( mathematics. Unfortunately, the studies had not gone well. The truth) Tj
T* ( be told, her second year of university was in fact the first year all) Tj
T* ( over again. A classmate had introduced her to Altos on the) Tj
T* ( university's computers. Not long after she struck up a relationship) Tj
T* ( with Electron, she dropped out of uni all together and enrolled in a) Tj
ET
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T* ( secretarial course. After that, she found a secretarial job at a) Tj
T* ( financial institution.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem and Electron talked on Altos for hours at a time. They talked) Tj
T* ( about everything--life, family, movies, parties--but not much about) Tj
T* ( what most people on Altos talked about--hacking. Eventually, Electron) Tj
T* ( gathered up the courage to ask Theorem for her voice telephone number.) Tj
T* ( She gave it to him happily and Electron called her at home in) Tj
T* ( Lausanne. They talked. And talked. And talked. Soon they were on the) Tj
T* ( telephone all the time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Seventeen-year-old Electron had never had a girlfriend. None of the) Tj
T* ( girls in his middle-class high school would give him the time of day) Tj
T* ( when it came to romance. Yet here was this bright, vibrant girl--a) Tj
T* ( girl who studied maths--speaking to him intimately in a melting French) Tj
T* ( accent. Best of all, she genuinely liked him. A few words from his) Tj
T* ( lips could send her into silvery peals of laughter.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When the phone bill arrived, it was $1000. Electron surreptitiously) Tj
T* ( collected it and buried it at the bottom of a drawer in his bedroom.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When he told Theorem, she offered to help pay for it. A cheque for) Tj
T* ( $700 showed up not long after. It made the task of explaining) Tj
T* ( Telecom's reminder notice to his father much easier.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The romantic relationship progressed throughout 1987 and the first) Tj
T* ( half of 1988. Electron and Theorem exchanged love letters and tender) Tj
T* ( intimacies over 16000 kilometres of computer networks, but the) Tj
T* ( long-distance relationship had some bumpy periods. Like when she had) Tj
T* ( an affair over several months with Pengo. A well-known German hacker) Tj
T* ( with links to the German hacking group called the Chaos Computer Club,) Tj
T* ( Pengo was also a friend and mentor to Electron. Pengo was, however,) Tj
T* ( only a short train ride away from Theorem. She became friends with) Tj
T* ( Pengo on Altos and eventually visited him. Things progressed from) Tj
T* ( there.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem was honest with Electron about the affair, but there was) Tj
T* ( something unspoken, something below the surface. Even after the affair) Tj
T* ( ended, Theorem was sweet on Pengo the way a girl remains fond of her) Tj
T* ( first love regardless of how many other men she has slept with since) Tj
T* ( then.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron felt hurt and angry, but he swallowed his pride and forgave) Tj
T* ( Theorem her dalliance. Eventually, Pengo disappeared from the scene.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pengo had been involved with people who sold US military) Tj
T* ( secrets--taken from computers--to the KGB. Although his direct) Tj
T* ( involvement in the ongoing international computer espionage had been) Tj
T* ( limited, he began to worry about the risks. His real interest was in) Tj
T* ( hacking, not spying. The Russian connection simply enabled him to get) Tj
T* ( access to bigger and better computers. Beyond that, he felt no loyalty) Tj
T* ( to the Russians.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the first half of 1988, he handed himself in to the German) Tj
T* ( authorities. Under West German law at the time, a citizen-spy who) Tj
T* ( surrendered himself before the state discovered the crime, and thus) Tj
T* ( averted more damage to the state, acquired immunity from prosecution.) Tj
T* ( Having already been busted in December 1986 for using a stolen NUI,) Tj
T* ( Pengo decided that turning himself in would be his best hope of taking) Tj
T* ( advantage of this legal largesse.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By the end of the year, things had become somewhat hairy for Pengo and) Tj
T* ( in March 1989 the twenty-year-old from Berlin was raided again, this) Tj
T* ( time with the four others involved in the spy ring. The story broke) Tj
T* ( and the media exposed Pengo's real name. He didn't know if he would) Tj
T* ( eventually be tried and convicted of something related to the) Tj
T* ( incident. Pengo had a few things on his mind other than the six-foot) Tj
T* ( Swiss girl.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( With Pengo out of the way, the situation between Theorem and the) Tj
T* ( Australian hacker improved. Until Par came along.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem and Par began innocently enough. Being one of only a few girls) Tj
T* ( in the international hacking and phreaking scene and, more) Tj
T* ( particularly, on Altos, she was treated differently. She had lots of) Tj
T* ( male friends on the German chat system, and the boys told her things) Tj
T* ( in confidence they would never tell each other. They sought out her) Tj
T* ( advice. She often felt like she wore many hats--mother, girlfriend,) Tj
T* ( psychiatrist--when she spoke with the boys on Altos.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par had been having trouble with his on-line girlfriend, Nora, and) Tj
T* ( when he met Theorem he turned to her for a bit of support. He had) Tj
T* ( travelled from California to meet Nora in person in New York. But when) Tj
T* ( he arrived in the sweltering heat of a New York summer, without) Tj
T* ( warning, her conservative Chinese parents didn't take kindly to his) Tj
T* ( unannounced appearance. There were other frictions between Nora and) Tj
T* ( Par. The relationship had been fine on Altos and on the phone, but) Tj
T* ( things were just not clicking in person.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He already knew that virtual relationships, forged over an electronic) Tj
T* ( medium which denied the importance of physical chemistry, could) Tj
T* ( sometimes be disappointing.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par used to hang out on a phone bridge with another Australian member) Tj
T* ( of The Realm, named Phoenix, and with a fun girl from southern) Tj
T* ( California. Tammi, a casual phreaker, had a great personality and a) Tj
T* ( hilarious sense of humour. During those endless hours chatting, she) Tj
T* ( and Phoenix seemed to be in the throes of a mutual crush. In the) Tj
T* ( phreaking underground, they were known as a bit of a virtual item. She) Tj
T* ( had even invited Phoenix to come visit her sometime. Then, one day,) Tj
T* ( for the fun of it, Tammi decided to visit Par in Monterey. Her) Tj
T* ( appearance was a shock.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Tammi had described herself to Phoenix as being a blue-eyed, blonde) Tj
T* ( California girl. Par knew that Phoenix visualised her as a) Tj
T* ( stereotypical bikini-clad, beach bunny from LA. His perception rested) Tj
T* ( on a foreigner's view of the southern California culture. The land of) Tj
T* ( milk and honey. The home of the Beach Boys and TV series like) Tj
T* ( `Charlie's Angels'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Tammi arrived, Par knew instantly that she and Phoenix would) Tj
T* ( never hit it off in person. Tammi did in fact have both blonde hair) Tj
T* ( and blue eyes. She had neglected to mention, however, that she weighed) Tj
T* ( about 300 pounds, had a rather homely face and a somewhat down-market) Tj
T* ( style. Par really liked Tammi, but he couldn't get the ugly phrase) Tj
T* ( `white trash' out of his thoughts. He pushed and shoved, but the) Tj
T* ( phrase was wedged in his mind. It fell to Par to tell Phoenix the) Tj
T* ( truth about Tammi.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( So Par knew all about how reality could burst the foundations of a) Tj
ET
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T* ( virtual relationship.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Leaving New York and Nora behind, Par moved across the river to New) Tj
T* ( Jersey to stay with a friend, Byteman, who was one of a group of) Tj
T* ( hackers who specialised in breaking into computer systems run by Bell) Tj
T* ( Communications Research \(Bellcore\). Bellcore came into existence at) Tj
T* ( the beginning of 1984 as a result of the break-up of the US telephone) Tj
T* ( monopoly known as Bell Systems. Before the break-up, Bell Systems') Tj
T* ( paternalistic holding company, American Telephone and Telegraph) Tj
T* ( \(AT&T\), had) Tj
T* ( fostered the best and brightest in Bell Labs, its research arm. Over) Tj
T* ( the course of its history, Bell Labs boasted at least seven) Tj
T* ( Nobel-prize winning researchers and numerous scientific achievements.) Tj
T* ( All of which made Bellcore a good target for hackers trying to prove) Tj
T* ( their prowess.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Byteman used to chat with Theorem on Altos, and eventually he called) Tj
T* ( her, voice. Par must have looked pretty inconsolable, because one day) Tj
T* ( while Byteman was talking to Theorem, he suddenly said to her, `Hey,) Tj
T* ( wanna talk to a friend of mine?' Theorem said `Sure' and Byteman) Tj
T* ( handed the telephone to Par. They talked for about twenty minutes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After that they spoke regularly both on Altos and on the phone. For) Tj
T* ( weeks after Par returned to California, Theorem tried to cheer him up) Tj
T* ( after his unfortunate experience with Nora. By mid-1988, they had) Tj
T* ( fallen utterly and passionately in love.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron, an occasional member of Force's Realm group, took the news) Tj
T* ( very badly. Not everyone on Altos liked Electron. He could be a little) Tj
T* ( prickly, and very cutting when he chose to be, but he was an ace) Tj
T* ( hacker, on an international scale, and everyone listened to him.) Tj
T* ( Obsessive, creative and quick off the mark, Electron had respect,) Tj
T* ( which is one reason Par felt so badly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Theorem told Electron the bad news in a private conversation) Tj
T* ( on-line, Electron had let fly in the public area, ripping into the) Tj
T* ( American hacker on the main chat section of Altos, in front of) Tj
T* ( everyone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par took it on the chin and refused to fight back. What else could he) Tj
T* ( do? He knew what it was like to hurt. He felt for the guy and knew how) Tj
T* ( he would feel if he lost Theorem. And he knew that Electron must be) Tj
T* ( suffering a terrible loss of face. Everyone saw Electron and Theorem) Tj
T* ( as an item. They had been together for more than a year. So Par met) Tj
T* ( Electron's fury with grace and quiet words of consolation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par didn't hear much from Electron after that day. The Australian) Tj
T* ( still visited Altos, but he seemed more withdrawn, at least whenever) Tj
T* ( Par was around. After that day, Par ran into him once, on a phone) Tj
T* ( bridge with a bunch of Australian hackers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix said on the bridge, `Hey, Electron. Par's on the bridge.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron paused. `Oh, really,' he answered coolly. Then he went) Tj
T* ( silent.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par let Electron keep his distance. After all, Par had what really) Tj
T* ( counted--the girl.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par called Theorem almost every day. Soon they began to make plans for) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( her to fly to California so they could meet in person. Par tried not) Tj
T* ( to expect too much, but he found it difficult to stop savouring the) Tj
T* ( thought of finally seeing Theorem face to face. It gave him) Tj
T* ( butterflies.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Yeah, Par thought, things are really looking up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The beauty of Altos was that, like Pacific Island or any other local) Tj
T* ( BBS, a hacker could take on any identity he wanted. And he could do it) Tj
T* ( on an international scale. Visiting Altos was like attending a) Tj
T* ( glittering masquerade ball. Anyone could recreate himself. A socially) Tj
T* ( inept hacker could pose as a character of romance and adventure. And a) Tj
T* ( security official could pose as a hacker.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Which is exactly what Telenet security officer Steve Mathews did on 27) Tj
T* ( October 1988. Par happened to be on-line, chatting away with his) Tj
T* ( friends and hacker colleagues. At any given moment, there were always) Tj
T* ( a few strays on Altos, a few people who weren't regulars. Naturally,) Tj
T* ( Mathews didn't announce himself as being a Telenet guy. He just) Tj
T* ( slipped quietly onto Altos looking like any other hacker. He might) Tj
T* ( engage a hacker in conversation, but he let the hacker do most of the) Tj
T* ( talking. He was there to listen.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On that fateful day, Par happened to be in one of his magnanimous) Tj
T* ( moods. Par had never had much money growing up, but he was always very) Tj
T* ( generous with what he did have. He talked for a little while with the) Tj
T* ( unknown hacker on Altos, and then gave him one of the debit cards) Tj
T* ( taken from his visits to the CitiSaudi computer. Why not? On Altos, it) Tj
T* ( was a bit like handing out your business card. `The) Tj
T* ( Parmaster--Parameters Par Excellence'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par had got his full name--The Parmaster--in his earliest hacking) Tj
T* ( days. Back then, he belonged to a group of teenagers involved in) Tj
T* ( breaking the copy protections on software programs for Apple IIes,) Tj
T* ( particularly games. Par had a special gift for working out the copy) Tj
T* ( protection parameters, which was a first step in bypassing the) Tj
T* ( manufacturers' protection schemes. The ringleader of the group began) Tj
T* ( calling him `the master of parameters'--The Parmaster--Par, for short.) Tj
T* ( As he moved into serious hacking and developed his expertise in X.25) Tj
T* ( networks, he kept the name because it fitted nicely in his new) Tj
T* ( environment. `Par?' was a common command on an X.25 pad, the modem) Tj
T* ( gateway to an X.25 network.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I've got lots more where that come from,' Par told the stranger on) Tj
T* ( Altos. `I've got like 4000 cards from a Citibank system.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Not long after that, Steve Mathews was monitoring Altos again, when) Tj
T* ( Par showed up handing out cards to people once more.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I've got an inside contact,' Par confided. `He's gonna make up a) Tj
T* ( whole mess of new, plastic cards with all these valid numbers from the) Tj
T* ( Citibank machine. Only the really big accounts, though. Nothing with a) Tj
T* ( balance under $25000.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Was Par just making idle conversation, talking big on Altos? Or would) Tj
T* ( he really have gone through with committing such a major fraud?) Tj
T* ( Citibank, Telenet and the US Secret Service would never know, because) Tj
T* ( their security guys began closing the net around Par before he had a) Tj
T* ( chance to take his idea any further.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( Mathews contacted Larry Wallace, fraud investigator with Citibank in) Tj
T* ( San Mateo, California. Wallace checked out the cards. They were valid) Tj
T* ( all right. They belonged to the Saudi-American Bank in Saudi Arabia) Tj
T* ( and were held on a Citibank database in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.) Tj
T* ( Wallace determined that, with its affiliation to the Middle Eastern) Tj
T* ( bank, Citibank had a custodial responsibility for the accounts. That) Tj
T* ( meant he could open a major investigation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 7 November, Wallace brought in the US Secret Service. Four days) Tj
T* ( later, Wallace and Special Agent Thomas Holman got their first major) Tj
T* ( lead when they interviewed Gerry Lyons of Pacific Bell's security) Tj
T* ( office in San Francisco.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Yes, Lyons told the investigators, she had some information they might) Tj
T* ( find valuable. She knew all about hackers and phreakers. In fact, the) Tj
T* ( San Jose Police had just busted two guys trying to phreak at a pay) Tj
T* ( phone. The phreakers seemed to know something about a Citibank system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When the agents showed up at the San Jose Police Department for their) Tj
T* ( appointment with Sergeant Dave Flory, they received another pleasant) Tj
T* ( surprise. The sergeant had a book filled with hackers' names and) Tj
T* ( numbers seized during the arrest of the two pay-phone phreakers. He) Tj
T* ( also happened to be in possession of a tape recording of the phreakers) Tj
T* ( talking to Par from a prison phone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The cheeky phreakers had used the prison pay phone to call up a) Tj
T* ( telephone bridge located at the University of Virginia. Par, the) Tj
T* ( Australian hackers and other assorted American phreakers and hackers) Tj
T* ( visited the bridge frequently. At any one moment, there might be eight) Tj
T* ( to ten people from the underground sitting on the bridge. The) Tj
T* ( phreakers found Par hanging out there, as usual, and they warned him.) Tj
T* ( His name and number were inside the book seized by police when they) Tj
T* ( were busted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par didn't seem worried at all.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hey, don't worry. It's cool,' he reassured them. `I have just) Tj
T* ( disconnected my phone number today--with no forwarding details.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Which wasn't quite true. His room-mate, Scott, had indeed disconnected) Tj
T* ( the phone which was in his name because he had been getting prank) Tj
T* ( calls. However, Scott opened a new telephone account at the same) Tj
T* ( address with the same name on the same day--all of which made the job) Tj
T* ( of tracking down the mysterious hacker named Par much easier for the) Tj
T* ( law enforcement agencies.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the meantime, Larry Wallace had been ringing around his contacts in) Tj
T* ( the security business and had come up with another lead. Wanda Gamble,) Tj
T* ( supervisor for the Southeastern Region of MCI Investigations, in) Tj
T* ( Atlanta, had a wealth of information on the hacker who called himself) Tj
T* ( Par. She was well connected when it came to hackers, having acquired a) Tj
T* ( collection of reliable informants during her investigations of) Tj
T* ( hacker-related incidents. She gave the Citibank investigator two) Tj
T* ( mailbox numbers for Par. She also handed them what she believed was) Tj
T* ( his home phone number.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The number checked out and on 25 November, the day after Thanksgiving,) Tj
T* ( the Secret Service raided Par's house. The raid was terrifying. At) Tj
T* ( least four law enforcement officers burst through the door with guns) Tj
T* ( drawn and pointed. One of them had a shotgun. As is often the case in) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( the US, investigators from private, commercial organisations--in this) Tj
T* ( case Citibank and Pacific Bell--also took part in the raid.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The agents tore the place apart looking for evidence. They dragged) Tj
T* ( down the food from the kitchen cupboards. They emptied the box of) Tj
T* ( cornflakes into the sink looking for hidden computer disks. They) Tj
T* ( looked everywhere, even finding a ceiling cavity at the back of a) Tj
T* ( closet which no-one even knew existed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They confiscated Par's Apple IIe, printer and modem. But, just to be) Tj
T* ( sure, they also took the Yellow Pages, along with the telephone and) Tj
T* ( the new Nintendo game paddles Scott had just bought. They scooped up) Tj
T* ( the very large number of papers which had been piled under the coffee) Tj
T* ( table, including the spiral notebook with Scott's airline bookings) Tj
T* ( from his job as a travel agent. They even took the garbage.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It wasn't long before they found the red shoebox full of disks peeping) Tj
T* ( out from under the fish tank next to Par's computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They found lots of evidence. What they didn't find was Par.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Instead, they found Scott and Ed, two friends of Par. They were pretty) Tj
T* ( shaken up by the raid. Not knowing Par's real identity, the Secret) Tj
T* ( Service agents accused Scott of being Par. The phone was in his name,) Tj
T* ( and Special Agent Holman had even conducted some surveillance more) Tj
T* ( than a week before the raid, running the plates on Scott's 1965 black) Tj
T* ( Ford Mustang parked in front of the house. The Secret Service was sure) Tj
T* ( it had its man, and Scott had a hell of a time convincing them) Tj
T* ( otherwise.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Both Scott and Ed swore up and down that they weren't hackers or) Tj
T* ( phreakers, and they certainly weren't Par. But they knew who Par was,) Tj
T* ( and they told the agents his real name. After considerable pressure) Tj
T* ( from the Secret Service, Scott and Ed agreed to make statements down) Tj
T* ( at the police station.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In Chicago, more than 2700 kilometres away from the crisis unfolding) Tj
T* ( in northern California, Par and his mother watched his aunt walk down) Tj
T* ( the aisle in her white gown.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par telephoned home once, to Scott, to say `hi' from the Midwest. The) Tj
T* ( call came after the raid.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `So,' a relaxed Par asked his room-mate, `How are things going at) Tj
T* ( home?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Fine,' Scott replied. `Nothing much happening here.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par looked down at the red bag he was carrying with a momentary) Tj
T* ( expression of horror. He realised he stood out in the San Jose bus) Tj
T* ( terminal like a peacock among the pigeons ...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Blissfully ignorant of the raid which had occurred three days before,) Tj
T* ( Par and his mother had flown into San Jose airport. They had gone to) Tj
T* ( the bus terminal to pick up a Greyhound home to the Monterey area.) Tj
T* ( While waiting for the bus, Par called his friend Tammi to say he was) Tj
T* ( back in California.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Any casual bystander waiting to use the pay phones at that moment) Tj
T* ( would have seen a remarkable transformation in the brown-haired boy at) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( the row of phones. The smiling face suddenly dropped in a spasm of) Tj
T* ( shock. His skin turned ash white as the blood fled south. His deep-set) Tj
T* ( chocolate brown eyes, with their long, graceful lashes curving upward) Tj
T* ( and their soft, shy expression, seemed impossibly large.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For at that moment Tammi told Par that his house had been raided by) Tj
T* ( the Secret Service. That Scott and Ed had been pretty upset about) Tj
T* ( having guns shoved in their faces, and had made statements about him) Tj
T* ( to the police. That they thought their phone was tapped. That the) Tj
T* ( Secret Service guys were still hunting for Par, they knew his real) Tj
T* ( name, and she thought there was an all points bulletin out for him.) Tj
T* ( Scott had told the Secret Service about Par's red bag, the one with) Tj
T* ( all his hacking notes that he always carried around. The one with the) Tj
T* ( print-out of all the Citibank credit card numbers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And so it was that Par came to gaze down at his bag with a look of) Tj
T* ( alarm. He realised instantly that the Secret Service would be looking) Tj
T* ( for that red bag. If they didn't know what he looked like, they would) Tj
T* ( simply watch for the bag.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That bag was not something Par could hide easily. The Citibank) Tj
T* ( print-out was the size of a phone book. He also had dozens of disks) Tj
T* ( loaded with the cards and other sensitive hacking information.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par had used the cards to make a few free calls, but he hadn't been) Tj
T* ( charging up any jet skis. He fought temptation valiantly, and in the) Tj
T* ( end he had won, but others might not have been so victorious in the) Tj
T* ( same battle. Par figured that some less scrupulous hackers had) Tj
T* ( probably been charging up a storm. He was right. Someone had, for) Tj
T* ( example, tried to send a $367 bouquet of flowers to a woman in El Paso) Tj
T* ( using one of the stolen cards. The carder had unwittingly chosen a) Tj
T* ( debit card belonging to a senior Saudi bank executive who happened to) Tj
T* ( be in his office at the time the flower order was placed. Citibank) Tj
T* ( investigator Larry Wallace added notes on that incident to his growing) Tj
T* ( file.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par figured that Citibank would probably try to pin every single) Tj
T* ( attempt at carding on him. Why not? What kind of credibility would a) Tj
T* ( seventeen-year-old hacker have in denying those sorts of allegations?) Tj
T* ( Zero. Par made a snap decision. He sidled up to a trash bin in a dark) Tj
T* ( corner. Scanning the scene warily, Par casually reached into the red) Tj
T* ( bag, pulled out the thick wad of Citibank card print-outs and stuffed) Tj
T* ( it into the bin. He fluffed a few stray pieces of garbage over the) Tj
T* ( top.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He worried about the computer disks with all his other valuable) Tj
T* ( hacking information. They represented thousands of hours of work and) Tj
T* ( he couldn't bring himself to throw it all away. The 10 megabyte) Tj
T* ( trophy. More than 4000 cards. 130000 different transactions. In the) Tj
T* ( end, he decided to hold on to the disks, regardless of the risk. At) Tj
T* ( least, without the print-out, he could crumple the bag up a bit and) Tj
T* ( make it a little less conspicuous. As Par slowly moved away from the) Tj
T* ( bin, he glanced back to check how nondescript the burial site appeared) Tj
T* ( from a distance. It looked like a pile of garbage. Trash worth) Tj
T* ( millions of dollars, headed for the dump.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As he boarded the bus to Salinas with his mother, Par's mind was) Tj
T* ( instantly flooded with images of a homeless person fishing the) Tj
T* ( print-out from the bin and asking someone about it. He tried to push) Tj
T* ( the idea from his head.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( During the bus ride, Par attempted to figure out what he was going to) Tj
T* ( do. He didn't tell his mother anything. She couldn't even begin to) Tj
T* ( comprehend his world of computers and networks, let alone his current) Tj
T* ( predicament. Further, Par and his mother had suffered from a somewhat) Tj
T* ( strained relationship since he ran away from home not long after his) Tj
T* ( seventeenth birthday. He had been kicked out of school for) Tj
T* ( non-attendance, but had found a job tutoring students in computers at) Tj
T* ( the local college. Before the trip to Chicago, he had seen her just) Tj
T* ( once in six months. No, he couldn't turn to her for help.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The bus rolled toward the Salinas station. En route, it travelled down) Tj
T* ( the street where Par lived. He saw a jogger, a thin black man wearing) Tj
T* ( a walkman. What the hell is a jogger doing here, Par thought. No-one) Tj
T* ( jogged in the semi-industrial neighbourhood. Par's house was about the) Tj
T* ( only residence amid all the light-industrial buildings. As soon as the) Tj
T* ( jogger was out of sight of the house, he suddenly broke away from his) Tj
T* ( path, turned off to one side and hit the ground. As he lay on his) Tj
T* ( stomach on some grass, facing the house, he seemed to begin talking) Tj
T* ( into the walkman.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sitting watching this on the bus, Par flipped out. They were out to) Tj
T* ( get him, no doubt about it. When the bus finally arrived at the depot) Tj
T* ( and his mother began sorting out their luggage, Par tucked the red bag) Tj
T* ( under his arm and disappeared. He found a pay phone and called Scott) Tj
T* ( to find out the status of things. Scott handed the phone to Chris,) Tj
T* ( another friend who lived in the house. Chris had been away at his) Tj
T* ( parents' home during the Thanksgiving raid.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hold tight and lay low,' Chris told Par.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I'm on my way over to pick you up and take you to a lawyer's office) Tj
T* ( where you can get some sort of protection.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A specialist in criminal law, Richard Rosen was born in New York but) Tj
T* ( raised in his later childhood in California. He had a personality) Tj
T* ( which reflected the steely stubbornness of a New Yorker, tempered with) Tj
T* ( the laid-back friendliness of the west coast. Rosen also harboured a) Tj
T* ( strong anti-authoritarian streak. He represented the local chapter of) Tj
T* ( Hell's Angels in the middle-class County of Monterey. He also caused a) Tj
T* ( splash representing the growing midwifery movement, which promoted) Tj
T* ( home-births. The doctors of California didn't like him much as a) Tj
T* ( result.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par's room-mates met with Rosen after the raid to set things up for) Tj
T* ( Par's return. They told him about the terrifying ordeal of the Secret) Tj
T* ( Service raid, and how they were interrogated for an hour and a half) Tj
T* ( before being pressured to give statements. Scott, in particular, felt) Tj
T* ( that he had been forced to give a statement against Par under duress.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While Par talked to Chris on the phone, he noticed a man standing at) Tj
T* ( the end of the row of pay phones. This man was also wearing a walkman.) Tj
T* ( He didn't look Par in the eye. Instead, he faced the wall, glancing) Tj
T* ( furtively off to the side toward where Par was standing. Who was that) Tj
T* ( guy? Fear welled up inside Par and all sorts of doubts flooded his) Tj
T* ( mind. Who could he trust?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Scott hadn't told him about the raid. Were his room-mates in cahoots) Tj
T* ( the Secret Service? Were they just buying time so they could turn him) Tj
T* ( in? There was no-one else Par could turn to. His mother wouldn't) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( understand. Besides, she had problems of her own. And he didn't have a) Tj
T* ( father. As far as Par was concerned, his father was as good as dead.) Tj
T* ( He had never met the man, but he heard he was a prison officer in) Tj
T* ( Florida. Not a likely candidate for helping Par in this situation. He) Tj
T* ( was close to his grandparents--they had bought his computer for him as) Tj
T* ( a present--but they lived in a tiny Mid-Western town and they simply) Tj
T* ( wouldn't understand either.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par didn't know what to do, but he didn't seem to have many options at) Tj
T* ( the moment, so he told Chris he would wait at the station for him.) Tj
T* ( Then he ducked around a corner and tried to hide.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A few minutes later, Chris pulled into the depot. Par dove into the) Tj
T* ( Toyota Landcruiser and Chris tore out of the station toward Rosen's) Tj
T* ( office. They noticed a white car race out of the bus station after) Tj
T* ( them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While they drove, Par pieced together the story from Chris. No-one had) Tj
T* ( warned him about the raid because everyone in the house believed the) Tj
T* ( phone line was tapped. Telling Par while he was in Chicago might have) Tj
T* ( meant another visit from the Secret Service. All they had been able to) Tj
T* ( do was line up Rosen to help him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par checked the rear-view mirror. The white car was still following) Tj
T* ( them. Chris made a hard turn at the next intersection and accelerated) Tj
T* ( down the California speedway. The white car tore around the corner in) Tj
T* ( pursuit. No matter what Chris did, he couldn't shake the tail. Par sat) Tj
T* ( in the seat next to Chris, quietly freaking out.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Just 24 hours before, he had been safe and sound in Chicago. How did) Tj
T* ( he end up back here in California being chased by a mysterious driver) Tj
T* ( in a white car?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Chris tried his best to break free, swerving and racing. The white car) Tj
T* ( wouldn't budge. But Chris and Par had one advantage over the white) Tj
T* ( car; they were in a four-wheel drive. In a split-second decision,) Tj
T* ( Chris jerked the steering wheel to one side. The Landcruiser veered) Tj
T* ( off the road onto a lettuce field. Par gripped the inside of the door) Tj
T* ( as the 4WD bounced through the dirt over the neat crop rows. Near-ripe) Tj
T* ( heads of lettuce went flying out from under the tires. Half-shredded) Tj
T* ( lettuce leaves filled the air. A cloud of dirt enveloped the car. The) Tj
T* ( vehicle skidded and jerked, but finally made its way to a highway at) Tj
T* ( the far end of the field. Chris hit the highway running, swerving into) Tj
T* ( the lane at high speed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Par looked back, the white car had disappeared. Chris kept his) Tj
T* ( foot on the accelerator and Par barely breathed until the Landcruiser) Tj
T* ( pulled up in front of Richard Rosen's building.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par leaped out, the red bag still clutched tightly under his arm, and) Tj
T* ( high-tailed it into the lawyer's office. The receptionist looked a bit) Tj
T* ( shocked when he said his name. Someone must have filled her in on the) Tj
T* ( details.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Rosen quickly ushered him into his office. Introductions were brief) Tj
T* ( and Par cut to the story of the chase. Rosen listened intently,) Tj
T* ( occasionally asking a well-pointed question, and then took control of) Tj
T* ( the situation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The first thing they needed to do was call off the Secret Service) Tj
ET
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T* ( chase, Rosen said, so Par didn't have to spend any more time ducking) Tj
T* ( around corners and hiding in bus depots. He called the Secret) Tj
T* ( Service's San Francisco office and asked Special Agent Thomas J.) Tj
T* ( Holman to kill the Secret Service pursuit in exchange for an agreement) Tj
T* ( that Par would turn himself in to be formally charged.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Holman insisted that they had to talk to Par.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( No, Rosen said. There would be no interviews for Par by law) Tj
T* ( enforcement agents until a deal had been worked out.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But the Secret Service needed to talk to Par, Holman insisted. They) Tj
T* ( could only discuss all the other matters after the Secret Service had) Tj
T* ( had a chance to talk with Par.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Rosen politely warned Holman not to attempt to contact his client. You) Tj
T* ( have something to say to Par, you go through me, he said. Holman did) Tj
T* ( not like that at all. When the Secret Service wanted to talk to) Tj
T* ( someone, they were used to getting their way. He pushed Rosen, but the) Tj
T* ( answer was still no. No no no and no again. Holman had made a mistake.) Tj
T* ( He had assumed that everyone wanted to do business with the United) Tj
T* ( States Secret Service.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When he finally realised Rosen wouldn't budge, Holman gave up. Rosen) Tj
T* ( then negotiated with the federal prosecutor, US Attorney Joe Burton,) Tj
T* ( who was effectively Holman's boss in the case, to call off the pursuit) Tj
T* ( in exchange for Par handing himself in to be formally charged.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then Par gave Rosen his red bag, for safekeeping.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At about the same time, Citibank investigator Wallace and Detective) Tj
T* ( Porter of the Salinas Police interviewed Par's mother as she returned) Tj
T* ( home from the bus depot. She said that her son had moved out of her) Tj
T* ( home some six months before, leaving her with a $2000 phone bill she) Tj
T* ( couldn't pay. They asked if they could search her home. Privately, she) Tj
T* ( worried about what would happen if she refused. Would they tell the) Tj
T* ( office where she worked as a clerk? Could they get her fired? A simple) Tj
T* ( woman who had little experience dealing with law enforcement agents,) Tj
T* ( Par's mother agreed. The investigators took Par's disks and papers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par turned himself in to the Salinas Police in the early afternoon of) Tj
T* ( 12 December. The police photographed and fingerprinted him before) Tj
T* ( handing him a citation--a small yellow slip headed `502 \(c\) \(1\) PC'.) Tj
T* ( It looked like a traffic ticket, but the two charges Par faced were) Tj
T* ( felonies, and each carried a maximum term of three years for a minor.) Tj
T* ( Count 1, for hacking into Citicorp Credit Services, also carried a) Tj
T* ( fine of up to $10000. Count 2, for `defrauding a telephone service',) Tj
T* ( had no fine: the charges were for a continuing course of conduct,) Tj
T* ( meaning that they applied to the same activity over an extended period) Tj
T* ( of time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Federal investigators had been astonished to find Par was so young.) Tj
T* ( Dealing with a minor in the federal court system was a big hassle, so) Tj
T* ( the prosecutor decided to ask the state authorities to prosecute the) Tj
T* ( case. Par was ordered to appear in Monterey County Juvenile Court on) Tj
T* ( 10 July 1989.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Over the next few months, Par worked closely with Rosen. Though Rosen) Tj
T* ( was a very adept lawyer, the situation looked pretty depressing.) Tj
T* ( Citibank claimed it had spent $30000 on securing its systems and Par) Tj
ET
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T* ( believed that the corporation might be looking for up to $3 million in) Tj
T* ( total damages. While they couldn't prove Par had made any money from) Tj
T* ( the cards himself, the prosecution would argue that his generous) Tj
T* ( distribution of them had led to serious financial losses. And that was) Tj
T* ( just the financial institutions.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Much more worrying was what might come out about Par's visits to TRW's) Tj
T* ( computers. The Secret Service had seized at least one disk with TRW) Tj
T* ( material on it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( TRW was a large, diverse company, with assets of $2.1 billion and) Tj
T* ( sales of almost $7 billion in 1989, nearly half of which came from the) Tj
T* ( US government. It employed more than 73000 people, many of who worked) Tj
T* ( with the company's credit ratings business. TRW's vast databases held) Tj
T* ( private details of millions of people--addresses, phone numbers,) Tj
T* ( financial data.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That, however, was just one of the company's many businesses. TRW also) Tj
T* ( did defence work--very secret defence work. Its Space and Defense) Tj
T* ( division, based in Redondo Beach, California, was widely believed to) Tj
T* ( be a major beneficiary of the Reagan Government's Star Wars budget.) Tj
T* ( More than 10 per cent of the company's employees worked in this) Tj
T* ( division, designing spacecraft systems, communications systems,) Tj
T* ( satellites and other, unspecified, space `instruments'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The siezed disk had some mail from the company's TRWMAIL systems. It) Tj
T* ( wasn't particularly sensitive, mostly just company propaganda sent to) Tj
T* ( employees, but the Secret Service might think that where there was) Tj
T* ( smoke, there was bound to be fire. TRW did the kind of work that makes) Tj
T* ( governments very nervous when it comes to unauthorised access. And Par) Tj
T* ( had visited certain TRW machines; he knew that company had a missiles) Tj
T* ( research section, and even a space weapons section.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( With so many people out to get him--Citibank, the Secret Service, the) Tj
T* ( local police, even his own mother had helped the other side--it was) Tj
T* ( only a matter of time before they unearthed the really secret things) Tj
T* ( he had seen while hacking. Par began to wonder if was such a good idea) Tj
T* ( for him to stay around for the trial.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( In early 1989, when Theorem stepped off the plane which carried her) Tj
T* ( from Switzerland to San Francisco, she was pleased that she had) Tj
T* ( managed to keep a promise to herself. It wasn't always an easy) Tj
T* ( promise. There were times of intimacy, of perfect connection, between) Tj
T* ( the two voices on opposite sides of the globe, when it seemed so) Tj
T* ( breakable.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Meanwhile, Par braced himself. Theorem had described herself in such) Tj
T* ( disparaging terms. He had even heard from others on Altos that she was) Tj
T* ( homely. But that description had ultimately come from her anyway, so) Tj
T* ( it didn't really count.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally, as he watched the stream of passengers snake out to the) Tj
T* ( waiting area, he told himself it didn't matter anyway. After all, he) Tj
T* ( had fallen in love with her--her being, her essence--not her image as) Tj
T* ( it appeared in flesh. And he had told her so. She had said the same) Tj
T* ( back to him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Suddenly she was there, in front of him. Par had to look up slightly) Tj
ET
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T* ( to reach her eyes, since she was a little more than an inch taller.) Tj
T* ( She was quite pretty, with straight, brown shoulder-length hair and) Tj
T* ( brown eyes. He was just thinking how much more attractive she was than) Tj
T* ( he had expected, when it happened.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem smiled.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par almost lost his balance. It was a devastating smile, big and) Tj
T* ( toothy, warm and genuine. Her whole face lit up with a fire of) Tj
T* ( animation. That smile sealed it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( She had kept her promise to herself. There was no clear image of Par) Tj
T* ( in her mind before meeting him in person. After meeting a few people) Tj
T* ( from Altos at a party in Munich the year before, she had tried not to) Tj
T* ( create images of people based on their on-line personalities. That way) Tj
T* ( she would never suffer disappointment.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par and Theorem picked up her bags and got into Brian's car. Brian, a) Tj
T* ( friend who offered to play airport taxi because Par didn't have a car,) Tj
T* ( thought Theorem was pretty cool. A six-foot-tall French-speaking Swiss) Tj
T* ( woman. It was definitely cool. They drove back to Par's house. Then) Tj
T* ( Brian came in for a chat.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Brian asked Theorem all sorts of questions. He was really curious,) Tj
T* ( because he had never met anyone from Europe before. Par kept trying to) Tj
T* ( encourage his friend to leave but Brian wanted to know all about life) Tj
T* ( in Switzerland. What was the weather like? Did people ski all the) Tj
T* ( time?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par kept looking Brian in the eye and then staring hard at the door.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Did most Swiss speak English? What other languages did she know? A lot) Tj
T* ( of people skied in California. It was so cool talking to someone from) Tj
T* ( halfway around the world.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par did the silent chin-nudge toward the door and, at last, Brian got) Tj
T* ( the hint. Par ushered his friend out of the house. Brian was only) Tj
T* ( there for about ten minutes, but it felt like a year. When Par and) Tj
T* ( Theorem were alone, they talked a bit, then Par suggested they go for) Tj
T* ( a walk.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Halfway down the block, Par tentatively reached for her hand and took) Tj
T* ( it in his own. She seemed to like it. Her hand was warm. They talked a) Tj
T* ( bit more, then Par stopped. He turned to face her. He paused, and then) Tj
T* ( told her something he had told her before over the telephone,) Tj
T* ( something they both knew already.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem kissed him. It startled Par. He was completely unprepared.) Tj
T* ( Then Theorem said the same words back to him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When they returned to the house, things progressed from there. They) Tj
T* ( spent two and a half weeks in each other's arms--and they were) Tj
T* ( glorious, sun-drenched weeks. The relationship proved to be far, far) Tj
T* ( better in person than it had ever been on-line or on the telephone.) Tj
T* ( Theorem had captivated Par, and Par, in turn, created a state of bliss) Tj
T* ( in Theorem.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par showed her around his little world in northern California. They) Tj
T* ( visited a few tourist sites, but mostly they just spent a lot of time) Tj
T* ( at home. They talked, day and night, about everything.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then it was time for Theorem to leave, to return to her job and her) Tj
T* ( life in Switzerland. Her departure was hard--driving to the airport,) Tj
T* ( seeing her board the plane--it was heart-wrenching. Theorem looked) Tj
T* ( very upset. Par just managed to hold it together until the plane took) Tj
T* ( off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For two and a half weeks, Theorem had blotted out Par's approaching) Tj
T* ( court case. As she flew away, the dark reality of the case descended) Tj
T* ( on him.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The fish liked to watch.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par sat at the borrowed computer all night in the dark, with only the) Tj
T* ( dull glow of his monitor lighting the room, and the fish would all) Tj
T* ( swim over to the side of their tank and peer out at him. When things) Tj
T* ( were quiet on-line, Par's attention wandered to the eel and the lion) Tj
T* ( fish. Maybe they were attracted to the phosphorescence of the computer) Tj
T* ( screen. Whatever the reason, they certainly liked to hover there. It) Tj
T* ( was eerie.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par took a few more drags of his joint, watched the fish some more,) Tj
T* ( drank his Coke and then turned his attention back to his computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That night, Par saw something he shouldn't have. Not the usual hacker) Tj
T* ( stuff. Not the inside of a university. Not even the inside of an) Tj
T* ( international bank containing private financial information about) Tj
T* ( Middle Eastern sheiks.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What he saw was information about some sort of killer spy) Tj
T* ( satellite--those are the words Par used to describe it to other) Tj
T* ( hackers. He said the satellite was capable of shooting down other) Tj
T* ( satellites caught spying, and he saw it inside a machine connected to) Tj
T* ( TRW's Space and Defense division network. He stumbled upon it much the) Tj
T* ( same way Force had accidentally found the CitiSaudi machine--through) Tj
T* ( scanning. Par didn't say much else about it because the discovery) Tj
T* ( scared the hell out of him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Suddenly, he felt like the man who knew too much. He'd been in and out) Tj
T* ( of so many military systems, seen so much sensitive material, that he) Tj
T* ( had become a little blasé about the whole thing. The information was) Tj
T* ( cool to read but, God knows, he never intended to actually do anything) Tj
T* ( with it. It was just a prize, a glittering trophy testifying to his) Tj
T* ( prowess as a hacker. But this discovery shook him up, slapped him in) Tj
T* ( the face, made him realise he was exposed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What would the Secret Service do to him when they found out? Hand him) Tj
T* ( another little traffic ticket titled `502C'? No way. Let him tell the) Tj
T* ( jury at his trial everything he knew? Let the newspapers print it? Not) Tj
T* ( a snowball's chance in hell.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This was the era of Ronald Reagan and George Bush, of space defence) Tj
T* ( initiatives, of huge defence budgets and very paranoid military) Tj
T* ( commanders who viewed the world as one giant battlefield with the evil) Tj
T* ( empire of the Soviet Union.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Would the US government just lock him up and throw away the key? Would) Tj
T* ( it want to risk him talking to other prisoners--hardened criminals who) Tj
ET
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T* ( knew how to make a dollar from that sort of information? Definitely) Tj
T* ( not.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That left just one option. Elimination.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was not a pretty thought. But to the seventeen-year-old hacker it) Tj
T* ( was a very plausible one. Par considered what he could do and came up) Tj
T* ( with what seemed to be the only solution.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Run.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Chapter 4 -- The Fugitive) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There's one gun, probably more) Tj
T* ( and the others are pointing at our backdoor ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( -- from `Knife's Edge', on Bird Noises by Midnight Oil) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Par failed to show up for his hearing on 10 July 1989 in the) Tj
T* ( Monterey County Juvenile Court in Salinas, he officially became a) Tj
T* ( fugitive. He had, in fact, already been on the run for some weeks. But) Tj
T* ( no-one knew. Not even his lawyer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Richard Rosen had an idea something was wrong when Par didn't show up) Tj
T* ( for a meeting some ten days before the hearing, but he kept hoping his) Tj
T* ( client would come good. Rosen had negotiated a deal for Par:) Tj
T* ( reparations plus fifteen days or less in juvenile prison in exchange) Tj
T* ( for Par's full cooperation with the Secret Service.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par had appeared deeply troubled over the matter for weeks. He didn't) Tj
T* ( seem to mind telling the Feds how he had broken into various) Tj
T* ( computers, but that's not what they were really looking for. They) Tj
T* ( wanted him to rat. And to rat on everyone. They knew Par was a kingpin) Tj
T* ( and, as such, he knew all the important players in the underground.) Tj
T* ( The perfect stooge. But Par couldn't bring himself to narc. Even if he) Tj
T* ( did spill his guts, there was still the question of what the) Tj
T* ( authorities would do to him in prison. The question of elimination) Tj
T* ( loomed large in his mind.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( So, one morning, Par simply disappeared. He had planned it carefully,) Tj
T* ( packed his bags discreetly and made arrangements with a trusted friend) Tj
T* ( outside the circle which included his room-mates. The friend drove) Tj
T* ( around to pick Par up when the) Tj
T* ( room-mates were out. They never had an inkling that the now) Tj
T* ( eighteen-year-old Par was about to vanish for a very long time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( First, Par headed to San Diego. Then LA. Then he made his way to New) Tj
T* ( Jersey. After that, he disappeared from the radar screen completely.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Life on the run was hard. For the first few months, Par carried around) Tj
T* ( two prized possessions; an inexpensive laptop computer and photos of) Tj
T* ( Theorem taken during her visit. They were his lifeline to a different) Tj
T* ( world and he clutched them in his bag as he moved from one city to) Tj
T* ( another, often staying with his friends from the computer underground.) Tj
T* ( The loose-knit network of hackers worked a bit like the) Tj
ET
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T* ( nineteenth-century American `underground railroad' used by escaped) Tj
T* ( slaves to flee from the South to the safety of the northern states.) Tj
T* ( Except that, for Par, there was never a safe haven.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par crisscrossed the continent, always on the move. A week in one) Tj
T* ( place. A few nights in another. Sometimes there were breaks in the) Tj
T* ( electronic underground railroad, spaces between the place where one) Tj
T* ( line ended and another began. Those breaks were the hardest. They) Tj
T* ( meant sleeping out in the open, sometimes in the cold, going without) Tj
T* ( food and being without anyone to talk to.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He continued hacking, with new-found frenzy, because he was) Tj
T* ( invincible. What were the law enforcement agencies going to do? Come) Tj
T* ( and arrest him? He was already a fugitive and he figured things) Tj
T* ( couldn't get much worse. He felt as though he would be on the run) Tj
T* ( forever, and as if he had already been on the run for a lifetime,) Tj
T* ( though it was only a few months.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When he was staying with people from the computer underground, Par was) Tj
T* ( careful. But when he was alone in a dingy motel room, or with people) Tj
T* ( completely outside that world, he hacked without fear. Blatant,) Tj
T* ( in-your-face feats. Things he knew the Secret Service would see. Even) Tj
T* ( his illicit voice mailbox had words for his pursuers:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Yeah, this is Par. And to all those faggots from the Secret Service) Tj
T* ( who keep calling and hanging up, well, lots of luck. 'Cause, I mean,) Tj
T* ( you're so fucking stupid, it's not even funny.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( I mean, if you had to send my shit to Apple Computers [for analysis],) Tj
T* ( you must be so stupid, it's pitiful. You also thought I had) Tj
T* ( blue-boxing equipment [for phreaking]. I'm just laughing trying to) Tj
T* ( think what you thought was a blue box. You are so lame.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Oh well. And anyone else who needs to leave me a message, go ahead.) Tj
T* ( And everyone take it easy and leave me some shit. Alright. Later.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Despite the bravado, paranoia took hold of Par as it never had before.) Tj
T* ( If he saw a cop across the street, his breath would quicken and he) Tj
T* ( would turn and walk in the opposite direction. If the cop was heading) Tj
T* ( toward him, Par crossed the street and turned down the nearest alley.) Tj
T* ( Police of any type made him very nervous.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By the autumn of 1989, Par had made his way to a small town in North) Tj
T* ( Carolina. He found a place to stop and rest with a friend who used the) Tj
T* ( handle The Nibbler and whose family owned a motel. A couple of weeks) Tj
T* ( in one place, in one bed, was paradise. It was also free, which meant) Tj
T* ( he didn't have to borrow money from Theorem, who helped him out while) Tj
T* ( he was on the run.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par slept in whatever room happened to be available that night, but he) Tj
T* ( spent most of his time in one of the motel chalets Nibbler used in the) Tj
T* ( off-season as a computer room. They spent days hacking from Nibbler's) Tj
T* ( computer. The fugitive had been forced to sell off his inexpensive) Tj
T* ( laptop before arriving in North Carolina.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After a few weeks at the motel, however, he couldn't shake the feeling) Tj
T* ( that he was being watched. There were too many strangers coming and) Tj
T* ( going. He wondered if the hotel guests waiting in their cars were) Tj
T* ( spying on him, and he soon began jumping at shadows. Perhaps, he) Tj
T* ( thought, the Secret Service had found him after all.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par thought about how he could investigate the matter in more depth.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One of The Atlanta Three hackers, The Prophet, called Nibbler) Tj
T* ( occasionally to exchange hacking information, particularly security) Tj
T* ( bugs in Unix systems. During one of their talks, Prophet told Par) Tj
T* ( about a new security flaw he'd been experimenting with on a network) Tj
T* ( that belonged to the phone company.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Atlanta Three, a Georgia-based wing of The Legion of Doom, spent a) Tj
T* ( good deal of time weaving their way through BellSouth, the phone) Tj
T* ( company covering the south-eastern US. They knew about phone switching) Tj
T* ( stations the way Par knew about Tymnet. The Secret Service had raided) Tj
T* ( the hackers in July 1989 but had not arrested them yet, so in) Tj
T* ( September The Prophet continued to maintain an interest in his) Tj
T* ( favourite target.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par thought the flaw in BellSouth's network sounded very cool and) Tj
T* ( began playing around in the company's systems. Dial up the company's) Tj
T* ( computer network, poke around, look at things. The usual stuff.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It occurred to Par that he could check out the phone company's records) Tj
T* ( of the motel to see if there was anything unusual going on. He typed) Tj
T* ( in the motel's main phone number and the system fed back the motel's) Tj
T* ( address, name and some detailed technical information, such as the) Tj
T* ( exact cable and pair attached to the phone number. Then he looked up) Tj
T* ( the phone line of the computer chalet. Things looked odd on that line.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The line which he and Nibbler used for most of their hacking showed a) Tj
T* ( special status: `maintenance unit on line'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What maintenance unit? Nibbler hadn't mentioned any problems with any) Tj
T* ( of the motel's lines, but Par checked with him. No problems with the) Tj
T* ( telephones.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par felt nervous. In addition to messing around with the phone) Tj
T* ( company's networks, he had been hacking into a Russian computer) Tj
T* ( network from the computer chalet. The Soviet network was a shiny new) Tj
T* ( toy. It had only been connected to the rest of the world's global) Tj
T* ( packet-switched network for about a month, which made it particularly) Tj
T* ( attractive virgin territory.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Nibbler called in a friend to check the motel's phones. The friend, a) Tj
T* ( former telephone company technician turned freelancer, came over to) Tj
T* ( look at the equipment. He told Nibbler and Par that something weird) Tj
T* ( was happening in the motel's phone system. The line voltages were way) Tj
T* ( off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par realised instantly what was going on. The system was being) Tj
T* ( monitored. Every line coming in and going out was probably being) Tj
T* ( tapped, which meant only one thing. Someone--the phone company, the) Tj
T* ( local police, the FBI or the Secret Service--was onto him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Nibbler and Par quickly packed up all Nibbler's computer gear, along) Tj
T* ( with Par's hacking notes, and moved to another motel across town. They) Tj
T* ( had to shut down all their hacking activities and cover their tracks.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par had left programs running which sniffed people's passwords and) Tj
T* ( login names on a continual basis as they logged in, then dumped all) Tj
T* ( the information into a file on the hacked machine. He checked that) Tj
ET
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T* ( file every day or so. If he didn't shut the programs down, the log) Tj
T* ( file would grow until it was so big the system administrator would) Tj
T* ( become curious and have a look. When he discovered that his system had) Tj
T* ( been hacked he would close the security holes. Par would have problems) Tj
T* ( getting back into that system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After they finished tidying up the hacked systems, they gathered up) Tj
T* ( all Par's notes and Nibbler's computer equipment once again and) Tj
T* ( stashed them in a rented storage space. Then they drove back to the) Tj
T* ( motel.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par couldn't afford to move on just yet. Besides, maybe only the) Tj
T* ( telephone company had taken an interest in the motel's phone system.) Tj
T* ( Par had done a lot of poking and prodding of the telecommunications) Tj
T* ( companies' computer systems from the motel phone, but he had done it) Tj
T* ( anonymously. Perhaps BellSouth felt a little curious and just wanted) Tj
T* ( to sniff about for more information. If that was the case, the law) Tj
T* ( enforcement agencies probably didn't know that Par, the fugitive, was) Tj
T* ( hiding in the motel.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The atmosphere was becoming oppressive in the motel. Par became even) Tj
T* ( more watchful of the people coming and going. He glanced out the front) Tj
T* ( window a little more often, and he listened a little more carefully to) Tj
T* ( the footsteps coming and going. How many of the guests were really) Tj
T* ( just tourists? Par went through the guest list and found a man) Tj
T* ( registered as being from New Jersey. He was from one of the AT&T) Tj
T* ( corporations left after the break-up of Bell Systems. Why on earth) Tj
T* ( would an AT&T guy be staying in a tiny hick town in North Carolina?) Tj
T* ( Maybe a few Secret Service agents had snuck into the motel and were) Tj
T* ( watching the chalet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par needed to bring the paranoia under control. He needed some fresh) Tj
T* ( air, so he went out for a walk. The weather was bad and the wind blew) Tj
T* ( hard, whipping up small tornadoes of autumn leaves. Soon it began) Tj
T* ( raining and Par sought cover in the pay phone across the street.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Despite having been on the run for a few months, Par still called) Tj
T* ( Theorem almost every day, mostly by phreaking calls through bulk) Tj
T* ( telecommunications companies. He dialled her number and they talked) Tj
T* ( for a bit. He told her about how the voltage was way off on the) Tj
T* ( motel's PABX and how the phone might be tapped. She asked how he was) Tj
T* ( holding up. Then they spoke softly about when they might see each) Tj
T* ( other again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Outside the phone box, the storm worsened. The rain hammered the roof) Tj
T* ( from one side and then another as the wind jammed it in at strange) Tj
T* ( angles. The darkened street was deserted. Tree branches creaked under) Tj
T* ( the strain of the wind. Rivulets rushed down the leeward side of the) Tj
T* ( booth and formed a wall of water outside the glass. Then a trash bin) Tj
T* ( toppled over and its contents flew onto the road.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trying to ignore to the havoc around him, Par curled the phone handset) Tj
T* ( into a small protected space, cupped between his hand, his chest and a) Tj
T* ( corner of the phone booth. He reminded Theorem of their time together) Tj
T* ( in California, of two and a half weeks, and they laughed gently over) Tj
T* ( intimate secrets.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A tree branch groaned and then broke under the force of the wind. When) Tj
T* ( it crashed on the pavement near the phone booth, Theorem asked Par) Tj
T* ( what the noise was.) Tj
ET
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/F1 10 Tf
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12 TL
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `There's a hurricane coming,' he told her. `Hurricane Hugo. It was) Tj
T* ( supposed to hit tonight. I guess it's arrived.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem sounded horrified and insisted Par go back to the safety of) Tj
T* ( the motel immediately.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Par opened the booth door, he was deluged by water. He dashed) Tj
T* ( across the road, fighting the wind of the hurricane, staggered into his) Tj
T* ( motel room and jumped into bed to warm up. He fell asleep listening to) Tj
T* ( the storm, and he dreamed of Theorem.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hurricane Hugo lasted more than three days, but they felt like the) Tj
T* ( safest three days Par had spent in weeks. It was a good bet that the) Tj
T* ( Secret Service wouldn't be conducting any raids during a hurricane.) Tj
T* ( South Carolina took the brunt of Hugo but North Carolina also suffered) Tj
T* ( massive damage. It was one of the worst hurricanes to hit the area in) Tj
T* ( decades. Winds near its centre reached more than 240 kilometres per) Tj
T* ( hour, causing 60 deaths and $7 billion in damages as it made its way) Tj
T* ( up the coast from the West Indies to the Carolinas.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Par stepped outside his motel room one afternoon a few days after) Tj
T* ( the storm, the air was fresh and clean. He walked to the railing) Tj
T* ( outside his second-storey perch and found himself looking down on a) Tj
T* ( hive of activity in the car park. There were cars. There was a van.) Tj
T* ( There was a collection of spectators.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And there was the Secret Service.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At least eight agents wearing blue jackets with the Secret Service) Tj
T* ( emblem on the back.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par froze. He stopped breathing. Everything began to move in slow) Tj
T* ( motion. A few of the agents formed a circle around one of the guys) Tj
T* ( from the motel, a maintenance worker named John, who looked vaguely) Tj
T* ( like Par. They seemed to be hauling John over the coals, searching his) Tj
T* ( wallet for identification and quizzing him. Then they escorted him to) Tj
T* ( the van, presumably to run his prints.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par's mind began moving again. He tried to think clearly. What was the) Tj
T* ( best way out? He had to get back into his room. It would give him some) Tj
T* ( cover while he figured out what to do next. The photos of Theorem) Tj
T* ( flashed through his mind. No way was he going to let the Secret) Tj
T* ( Service get hold of those. He needed to stash them and fast.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He could see the Secret Service agents searching the computer chalet.) Tj
T* ( Thank God he and Nibbler had moved all the equipment. At least there) Tj
T* ( was nothing incriminating in there and they wouldn't be able to seize) Tj
T* ( all their gear.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par breathed deeply, deliberately, and forced himself to back away) Tj
T* ( from the railing toward the door to his room. He resisted the urge to) Tj
T* ( dash into his room, to recoil from the scene being played out below) Tj
T* ( him. Abrupt movements would draw the agents' attention.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Just as Par began to move, one of the agents turned around. He scanned) Tj
T* ( the two-storey motel complex and his gaze quickly came to rest on Par.) Tj
T* ( He looked Par dead in the eye.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This is it, Par thought. I'm screwed. No way out of here now. Months) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( on the run only to get done in a hick town in North Carolina. These) Tj
T* ( guys are gonna haul my ass away for good. I'll never see the light of) Tj
T* ( day again. Elimination is the only option.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While these thoughts raced through Par's mind, he stood rigid, his) Tj
T* ( feet glued to the cement floor, his face locked into the probing gaze) Tj
T* ( of the Secret Service agent. He felt like they were the only two) Tj
T* ( people who existed in the universe.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then, inexplicably, the agent looked away. He swivelled around to) Tj
T* ( finish his conversation with another agent. It was as if he had never) Tj
T* ( even seen the fugitive.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par stood, suspended and unbelieving. Somehow it seemed impossible. He) Tj
T* ( began to edge the rest of the way to his motel room. Slowly, casually,) Tj
T* ( he slid inside and shut the door behind him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His mind raced back to the photos of Theorem and he searched the room) Tj
T* ( for a safe hiding place. There wasn't one. The best option was) Tj
T* ( something above eye-level. He pulled a chair across the room, climbed) Tj
T* ( on it and pressed on the ceiling. The rectangular panel of) Tj
T* ( plasterboard lifted easily and Par slipped the photos in the space,) Tj
T* ( then replaced the panel. If the agents tore the room apart, they would) Tj
T* ( likely find the pictures. But the photos would probably escape a quick) Tj
T* ( search, which was the best he could hope for at this stage.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Next, he turned his mind to escaping. The locals were pretty cool) Tj
T* ( about everything, and Par thought he could count on the staff not to) Tj
T* ( mention his presence to the Secret Service. That bought him some time,) Tj
T* ( but he couldn't get out of the room without being seen. Besides, if he) Tj
T* ( was spotted walking off the property, he would certainly be stopped) Tj
T* ( and questioned.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Even if he did manage to get out of the motel grounds, it wouldn't) Tj
T* ( help much. The town wasn't big enough to shield him from a thorough) Tj
T* ( search and there was no-one there he trusted enough to hide him. It) Tj
T* ( might look a little suspicious, this young man running away from the) Tj
T* ( motel on foot in a part of the world where everyone travelled by car.) Tj
T* ( Hitchhiking was out of the question. With his luck, he'd probably get) Tj
T* ( picked up by one of the agents leaving the raid. No, he wanted a more) Tj
T* ( viable plan. What he really needed was to get out of the area) Tj
T* ( altogether, to flee the state.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par knew that John travelled to Asheville to attend classes and that) Tj
T* ( he left very early. If the authorities had been watching the motel for) Tj
T* ( a while, they would know that his 5 a.m. departure was normal. And) Tj
T* ( there was one other thing about the early departure which seemed) Tj
T* ( promising. It was still dark at that hour.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If Par could get as far as Asheville, he might be able to get a lift) Tj
T* ( to Charlotte, and from there he could fly somewhere far away.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par considered the options again and again. Hiding out in the motel) Tj
T* ( room seemed the most sensible thing to do. He had been moving rooms) Tj
T* ( around the motel pretty regularly, so he might have appeared to be) Tj
T* ( just another traveller to anyone watching the motel. With any luck the) Tj
T* ( Secret Service would be concentrating their search on the chalet,) Tj
T* ( ripping the place apart in a vain hunt for the computer equipment. As) Tj
T* ( these thoughts went through his head, the phone rang, making Par jump.) Tj
T* ( He stared at it, wondering whether to answer.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He picked it up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `It's Nibbler,' a voice whispered.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah,' Par whispered back.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Par, the Secret Service is here, searching the motel.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I know. I saw them.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `They've already searched the room next to yours.' Par nearly died.) Tj
T* ( The agents had been less than two metres from where he was standing) Tj
T* ( and he hadn't even known it. That room was where John stayed. It was) Tj
T* ( connected to his by an inner door, but both sides were locked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Move into John's room and lay low. Gotta go.' Nibbler hung up) Tj
T* ( abruptly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par put his ear to the wall and listened. Nothing. He unlocked the) Tj
T* ( connecting inner door, turned the knob and pressed lightly. It gave.) Tj
T* ( Someone had unlocked the other side after the search. Par squinted) Tj
T* ( through the crack in the door. The room was silent and still. He) Tj
T* ( opened it--no-one home. Scooping up his things, he quickly moved into) Tj
T* ( John's room.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then he waited. Pacing and fidgeting, he strained his ears to catch) Tj
T* ( the sounds outside. Every bang and creak of a door opening and closing) Tj
T* ( set him on edge. Late that night, after the law enforcement officials) Tj
T* ( had left, Nibbler called him on the house phone and told him what had) Tj
T* ( happened.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Nibbler had been inside the computer chalet when the Secret Service) Tj
T* ( showed up with a search warrant. The agents took names, numbers, every) Tj
T* ( detail they could, but they had trouble finding any evidence of) Tj
T* ( hacking. Finally, one of them emerged from the chalet triumphantly) Tj
T* ( waving a single computer disk in the air. The law enforcement) Tj
T* ( entourage hanging around in front of the chalet let out a little) Tj
T* ( cheer, but Nibbler could hardly keep a straight face. His younger) Tj
T* ( brother had been learning the basics of computer graphics with a) Tj
T* ( program called Logo. The United States Secret Service would soon be) Tj
T* ( uncovering the secret drawings of a primary school student.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par laughed. It helped relieve the stress. Then he told Nibbler his) Tj
T* ( escape plan, and Nibbler agreed to arrange matters. His parents didn't) Tj
T* ( know the whole story, but they liked Par and wanted to help him. Then) Tj
T* ( Nibbler wished his friend well.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par didn't even try to rest before his big escape. He was as highly) Tj
T* ( strung as a racehorse at the gate. What if the Secret Service was) Tj
T* ( still watching the place? There was no garage attached to the main) Tj
T* ( motel building which he could access from the inside. He would be) Tj
T* ( exposed, even though it would only be for a minute or so. The night) Tj
T* ( would provide reasonable cover, but the escape plan wasn't fool-proof.) Tj
T* ( If agents were keeping the motel under observation from a distance) Tj
T* ( they might miss him taking off from his room. On the other hand, there) Tj
T* ( could be undercover agents posing as guests watching the entire) Tj
T* ( complex from inside their room.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Paranoid thoughts stewed in Par's mind throughout the night. Just) Tj
ET
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T* ( before 5 a.m., he heard John's car pull up outside. Par flicked off) Tj
T* ( the light in his room, opened his door a crack and scanned the motel) Tj
T* ( grounds. All quiet, bar the single car, which puffed and grunted in) Tj
T* ( the still, cold air. The windows in most of the buildings were dark.) Tj
T* ( It was now or never.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par opened the door all the way and slipped down the hallway. As he) Tj
T* ( crept downstairs, the pre-dawn chill sent a shiver down his spine.) Tj
T* ( Glancing quickly from side to side, he hurried toward the waiting car,) Tj
T* ( pulled the back door open and dove onto the seat. Keeping his head) Tj
T* ( down, he twisted around, rolled onto the floor and closed the door) Tj
T* ( with little more than a soft click.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As the car began to move. Par reached for a blanket which had been) Tj
T* ( tossed on the floor and pulled it over himself. After a while, when) Tj
T* ( John told him they were safely out of the town, Par slipped the) Tj
T* ( blanket off his face and he looked up at the early morning sky. He) Tj
T* ( tried to get comfortable on the floor. It was going to be a long ride.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At Asheville, John dropped Par off at an agreed location. Par thanked) Tj
T* ( him and hopped into a waiting car. Someone else from his extensive) Tj
T* ( network of friends and acquaintances took him to Charlotte.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This time Par rode in the front passenger seat. For the first time, he) Tj
T* ( saw the true extent of the damage wreaked by Hurricane Hugo. The small) Tj
T* ( town where he had been staying had been slashed by rain and high) Tj
T* ( winds, but on the way to the Charlotte airport, where he would pick up) Tj
T* ( a flight to New York, Par watched the devastation with amazement. He) Tj
T* ( stared out the car window, unable to take his eyes off the storm's) Tj
T* ( trail of havoc.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The hurricane had swept up anything loose or fragile and turned it) Tj
T* ( into a missile on a suicide mission. Whatever mangled, broken) Tj
T* ( fragments remained after the turbulent winds had passed would have) Tj
T* ( been almost unrecognisable to those who had seen them before.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem worried about Par as he staggered from corner to corner of the) Tj
T* ( continent. In fact, she had often asked him to consider giving himself) Tj
T* ( up. Moving from town to town was taking its toll on Par, and it wasn't) Tj
T* ( that much easier on Theorem. She hadn't thought going on the lam was) Tj
T* ( such a great idea in the first place, and she offered to pay for his) Tj
T* ( lawyer so he could stop running. Par declined. How could he hand) Tj
T* ( himself in when he believed elimination was a real possibility?) Tj
T* ( Theorem sent him money, since he had no way of earning a living and he) Tj
T* ( needed to eat. The worst parts, though, were the dark thoughts that) Tj
T* ( kept crossing her mind. Anything could happen to Par between phone) Tj
T* ( calls. Was he alive? In prison? Had he been raided, even accidentally) Tj
T* ( shot during a raid?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Secret Service and the private security people seemed to want him) Tj
T* ( so badly. It was worrying, but hardly surprising. Par had embarrassed) Tj
T* ( them. He had broken into their machines and passed their private) Tj
T* ( information around in the underground. They had raided his home when) Tj
T* ( he wasn't even home. Then he had escaped a second raid, in North) Tj
T* ( Carolina, slipping between their fingers. He was constantly in their) Tj
T* ( face, continuing to hack blatantly and to show them contempt in things) Tj
T* ( such as his voicemail message. He figured they were probably) Tj
T* ( exasperated from chasing all sorts of false leads as well, since he) Tj
ET
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T* ( was perpetually spreading fake rumours about his whereabouts. Most of) Tj
T* ( all, he thought they knew what he had seen inside the TRW system. He) Tj
T* ( was a risk.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par became more and more paranoid, always watching over his shoulder) Tj
T* ( as he moved from city to city. He was always tired. He could never) Tj
T* ( sleep properly, worrying about the knock on the door. Some mornings,) Tj
T* ( after a fitful few hours of rest, he woke with a start, unable to) Tj
T* ( remember where he was. Which house or motel, which friends, which) Tj
T* ( city.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He still hacked all the time, borrowing machines where he could. He) Tj
T* ( posted messages frequently on The Phoenix Project, an exclusive BBS) Tj
T* ( run by The Mentor and Erik Bloodaxe and frequented by LOD members and) Tj
T* ( the Australian hackers. Some well-known computer security people were) Tj
T* ( also invited onto certain, limited areas of the Texas-based board,) Tj
T* ( which immediately elevated the status of The Phoenix Project in the) Tj
T* ( computer underground. Hackers were as curious about the security) Tj
T* ( people as the security people were about their prey. The Phoenix) Tj
T* ( Project was special because it provided neutral ground, where both) Tj
T* ( sides could meet to exchange ideas.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Via the messages, Par continued to improve his hacking skills while) Tj
T* ( also talking with his friends, people like Erik Bloodaxe, from Texas,) Tj
T* ( and Phoenix, from The Realm in Melbourne. Electron also frequented The) Tj
T* ( Phoenix Project. These hackers knew Par was on the run, and sometimes) Tj
T* ( they joked with him about it. The humour made the stark reality of) Tj
T* ( Par's situation bearable. All the hackers on The Phoenix Project had) Tj
T* ( considered the prospect of being caught. But the presence of Par, and) Tj
T* ( his tortured existence on the run, hammered the implications home with) Tj
T* ( some regularity.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As Par's messages became depressed and paranoid, other hackers tried) Tj
T* ( to do what they could to help him. Elite US and foreign hackers who) Tj
T* ( had access to the private sections of The Phoenix Project saw his) Tj
T* ( messages and they felt for him. Yet Par continued to slide deeper and) Tj
T* ( deeper into his own strange world.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* (Subject: DAMN !!!) Tj
T* (From: The Parmaster) Tj
T* (Date: Sat Jan 13 08:40:17 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Shit, i got drunk last night and went onto that Philippine system...) Tj
T* (Stupid Admin comes on and asks who i am ...) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Next thing i know, i'm booted off and both accounts on the system are gone.) Tj
T* (Not only this .. but the) Tj
T* (whole fucking Philippine Net isn't accepting collect calls anymore. \(The thing) Tj
T* (went down completely after i was booted off!\)) Tj
T* (Apparently someone there) Tj
T* (had enough of me.) Tj
T* (By the way, kids, never) Tj
T* (drink and hack!) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (- Par) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: gawd) Tj
T* (From: The Parmaster) Tj
T* (Date: Sat Jan 13 09:07:06 1990) Tj
ET
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T* () Tj
T* (Those SS boys and NSA boys think i'm a COMRADE .. hehehe i'm just glad) Tj
T* (i'm still fucking free.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Bahahaha) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (- Par) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: The Bottom line.) Tj
T* (From: The Parmaster) Tj
T* (Date: Sun Jan 21 10:05:38 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (The bottom line is a crackdown. The phrack boys were just the start,) Tj
T* (i'm sure of it.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (This is the time to watch yourself. No matter what you are into,) Tj
T* (whether it's just codes, cards, etc.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Apparently the government has seen the last straw. Unfortunately, with) Tj
T* (all of this in the news now, they will be able to get more government) Tj
T* (money to combat hackers.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (And that's BAD fucking news for us. I think they are going after all) Tj
T* (the `teachers'--the people who educate others into this sort of thing.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (I wonder if they think that maybe these remote cases are linked in any) Tj
T* (way. The only way they canprobably see is that we are hackers. And) Tj
T* (so that is where their energies will be put. To stop ALL hackers--and) Tj
T* (stop them BEFORE they can become a threat. After they wipe out the) Tj
T* (educators, that is. Just a theory.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (- Par) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: Connection) Tj
T* (From: The Parmaster) Tj
T* (Date: Sun Jan 21 10:16:11 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Well, the only connection is disconnection, as Gandalf [a British) Tj
T* (hacker] would say.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (That's what i'm putting) Tj
T* (on my epitaph.) Tj
T* (THE ONLY CONNECTION IS) Tj
T* (DISCONNECTION ...) Tj
T* (Oh well, maybe i'll take) Tj
T* (a few of the buggers with me when they come for me.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (- Par) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: Oh well.) Tj
T* (From: The Parmaster) Tj
T* (Date: Tue Jan 23 19:30:05 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (`And now, the end is near. I've traveled each and every byway ...' in) Tj
T* (the words of the King. Oh well. Who cares? He was a fat shit before he) Tj
T* (died anyway.) Tj
ET
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T* () Tj
T* (To everyone who's been a good friend of mine and help me cover up the) Tj
T* (fact that i don't know a fucking thing--i thank u. And to everyone) Tj
T* (else, take it easy and hang tough.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (i was temporarily insane at the time) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (See you smart guys at the funny farm.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (- Par) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: Par) Tj
T* (From: Erik Bloodaxe) Tj
T* (Date: Tue Jan 23 23:21:39 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Shit man, don't drink and think about things like that. It's not) Tj
T* (healthy, mentally or physically.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Come to Austin, Texas.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (We'll keep you somewhere until we can get something worked out for) Tj
T* (you.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (A year in minimum security \(Club Fed\) is better then chucking a whole) Tj
T* (life. Hell, you're 19!! I have discarded the `permanent' solution for) Tj
T* (good. Dead people can't get laid, but people in federal prisons DO get) Tj
T* (conjugal visits!!!) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Think of) Tj
T* (Theorem.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Call over here at whatever time you read this ... I can see you are) Tj
T* (really getting worried, so just fucking call ...) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (- Erik) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: Hah) Tj
T* (From: The Parmaster) Tj
T* (Date: Thu Jan 25 18:58:00 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Just keep in mind they see everything you do. Believe me. I know.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (- Par) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: Well shit.) Tj
T* (From: The Parmaster) Tj
T* (Date: Mon Jan 29 15:45:05 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (It's happening soon guys.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (I wish i could have bought more time. And worked out a deal. But) Tj
T* (nada. They are nearby now.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (I can tell which cars are theirs driving by outside. This is the) Tj
T* (weirdest case of Deja vu i've ever had.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Anyway got an interesting call today. It was from Eddie, one of the) Tj
ET
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T* (Bell systems computers.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (It was rather fantasy like ... Probably just his way of saying) Tj
T* (`Goodbye'. Eddie was a good friend, smartest damn UNIX box around ...) Tj
T* (And he called today to tell me goodbye.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Now i know i'm fucked. Thanks, Eddie, it's been real. \(whoever you) Tj
T* (are\) `ok eddie, this one's for you') Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Much Later,) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (- Par) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: Par) Tj
T* (From: Erik Bloodaxe) Tj
T* (Date: Mon Jan 29 19:36:38 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Buddy, Par, you are over the edge ... lay off the weed. Not everyone) Tj
T* (with glasses and dark suits are Feds. Not all cars with generic) Tj
T* (hubcaps are government issue.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Well, hell, I don't know what the hell `Eddie' is, but that's a real) Tj
T* (bizarre message you left.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Fly to Austin ... like tomorrow ... got plenty of places to stash you) Tj
T* (until things can be smoothed out for a calm transition.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (- Erik) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: eehh...) Tj
T* (From: Phoenix [from Australia]) Tj
T* (Date: Tue Jan 30 07:25:59 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (hmmmmmmmm...) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [sic]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (what is young Par up to?) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: Par and Erik) Tj
T* (From: Daneel Olivaw) Tj
T* (Date: Mon Jan 29 21:10:00 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Erik, you aren't exactly the best person to be stashing people are) Tj
T* (you?) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: You know you are screwed when.) Tj
T* (From: The Parmaster) Tj
T* (Date: Wed Jan 31 14:26:04 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (You know you are screwed) Tj
T* (when:) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (When surveyers survey) Tj
T* (your neighbors regularly, and wear sunglasses when it's like 11 degrees) Tj
T* (farenheit and cloudy as hell out.) Tj
ET
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T* () Tj
T* (When the same cars keep) Tj
T* (driving by outside day and night. \(I've been thinking about providing coffee an) Tj
T* (d) Tj
T* (doughnuts\).) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (- Par) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: heh, Par) Tj
T* (From: The Mentor) Tj
T* (Date: Wed Jan 31 16:37:04 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Ummm. I wear sunglasses when it's 11 degrees and cloudy ... so you can) Tj
T* (eliminate that one. :-\)) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: Hmm, Par) Tj
T* (From: Phoenix) Tj
T* (Date: Thu Feb 01 10:22:46 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (At least you arent getting shot at.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: Par, why don't you ...) Tj
T* (From: Ravage) Tj
T* (Date: Thu Feb 01 10:56:04 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Why not just go out and say `hi' to the nice gentleman? If i kept) Tj
T* (seeing the same people tooling around my neighborhood, i would) Tj
T* (actively check them out if they seemed weird.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* (Subject: Par, jump 'em) Tj
T* (From: Aston Martin) Tj
T* (Date: Tue Feb 06 18:04:55 1990) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (What you could do is go out to one of the vans sitting in the street) Tj
T* (\(you know, the one with the two guys sitting in it all day\) with a) Tj
T* (pair of jumper cables. Tell them you've seen them sitting there all) Tj
T* (day and you thought they were stuck. Ask them if they need a jump.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* (- Aston) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Between these strange messages, Par often posted comments on technical) Tj
T* ( matters. Other hackers routinely asked him questions about X.25) Tj
T* ( networks. Unlike some hackers, Par almost always offered some help. In) Tj
T* ( fact, he believed that being `one of the teachers' made him a) Tj
T* ( particular target. But his willingness to teach others so readily,) Tj
T* ( combined with his relatively humble, self-effacing demeanour, made Par) Tj
T* ( popular among many hackers. It was one reason he found so many places) Tj
T* ( to stay.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Spring arrived, brushing aside a few of the hardships of a winter on) Tj
T* ( the run, then summer. Par was still on the run, still dodging the) Tj
T* ( Secret Service's national hunt for the fugitive. By autumn, Par had) Tj
T* ( eluded law enforcement officials around the United States for more) Tj
T* ( than a year. The gloom of another cold winter on the run sat on the) Tj
T* ( horizon of Par's future, but he didn't care. Anything, everything was) Tj
T* ( bearable. He could take anything Fate would dish up because he had) Tj
ET
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T* ( something to live for.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem was coming to visit him again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Theorem arrived in New York in early 1991, the weather was) Tj
T* ( bitterly cold. They travelled to Connecticut, where Par was staying in) Tj
T* ( a share-house with friends.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par was nervous about a lot of things, but mostly about whether things) Tj
T* ( would be the same with Theorem. Within a few hours of her arrival, his) Tj
T* ( fears were assuaged. Theorem felt as passionately about him as she had) Tj
T* ( in California more than twelve months before. His own feelings were) Tj
T* ( even stronger. Theorem was a liferaft of happiness in the growing) Tj
T* ( turmoil of his life.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But things were different in the outside world. Life on the run with) Tj
T* ( Theorem was grim. Constantly dependent on other people, on their) Tj
T* ( charity, they were also subject to their petty whims.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A room-mate in the share-house got very drunk one night and picked a) Tj
T* ( fight with one of Par's friends. It was a major row and the friend) Tj
T* ( stormed out. In a fit of intoxicated fury, the drunk threatened to) Tj
T* ( turn Par in to the authorities. Slurring his angry words, he announced) Tj
T* ( he was going to call the FBI, CIA and Secret Service to tell them all) Tj
T* ( where Par was living.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par and Theorem didn't want to wait around to see if the drunk would) Tj
T* ( be true to his word. They grabbed their coats and fled into the) Tj
T* ( darkness. With little money, and no place else to stay, they walked) Tj
T* ( around for hours in the blistering, cold wind. Eventually they decided) Tj
T* ( they had no choice but to return to the house late at night, hopefully) Tj
T* ( after the drunk had fallen asleep.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They sidled up to the front of the house, alert and on edge. It was) Tj
T* ( quite possible the drunk had called every law enforcement agency his) Tj
T* ( blurry mind could recall, in which case a collection of agents would) Tj
T* ( be lying in wait. The street was deadly quiet. All the parked cars) Tj
T* ( were deserted. Par peered in a darkened window but he couldn't see) Tj
T* ( anything. He motioned for Theorem to follow him into the house.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Though she couldn't see Par's face, Theorem could feel his tension.) Tj
T* ( Most of the time, she revelled in their closeness, a proximity which) Tj
T* ( at times seemed to border on telepathy. But at this moment, the) Tj
T* ( extraordinary gift of empathy felt like a curse. Theorem could feel) Tj
T* ( Par's all-consuming paranoia, and it filled her with terror as they) Tj
T* ( crept through the hall, checking each room. Finally they reached Par's) Tj
T* ( room, expecting to find two or three Secret Service agents waiting) Tj
T* ( patiently for them in the dark.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was empty.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They climbed into bed and tried to get some sleep, but Theorem lay) Tj
T* ( awake in the dark for a little while, thinking about the strange and) Tj
T* ( fearful experience of returning to the house. Though she spoke to Par) Tj
T* ( on the phone almost every day when they were apart, she realised she) Tj
T* ( had missed something.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Being on the run for so long had changed Par.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Some time after she returned to Switzerland, Theorem's access to Altos) Tj
ET
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T* ( shrivelled up and died. She had been logging in through her old) Tj
T* ( university account but the university eventually killed her access) Tj
T* ( since she was no longer a student. Without access to any X.25 network) Tj
T* ( linked to the outside world, she couldn't logon to Altos. Although she) Tj
T* ( was never involved with hacking, Theorem had become quite addicted to) Tj
T* ( Altos. The loss of access to the Swiss X.25 network--and therefore to) Tj
T* ( Altos--left her feeling very depressed. She told Par over the) Tj
T* ( telephone, in sombre tones.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par decide to make a little present for Theorem. While most hackers) Tj
T* ( broke into computers hanging off the X.25 networks, Par broke into the) Tj
T* ( computers of the companies which ran the X.25 networks. Having control) Tj
T* ( over the machines owned by Telenet or Tymnet was real power. And as the) Tj
T* ( master of X.25 networks, Par could simply create a special account--just) Tj
T* ( for Theorem--on Tymnet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Par finished making the account, he leaned back in his chair) Tj
T* ( feeling pretty pleased with himself.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Account name: Theorem.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Password: ParLovesMe!) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Well, thought Par, she's going to have to type that in every time she) Tj
T* ( gets on the Tymnet network. Altos might be filled with the world's) Tj
T* ( best hackers, and they might even try to flirt with Theorem, but) Tj
T* ( she'll be thinking of me every time she logs on, he thought.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par called her on the telephone and gave her his special present. When) Tj
T* ( he told her the password to her new account, Theorem laughed. She) Tj
T* ( thought it was sweet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And so did the MOD boys.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Masters of Deception, or Destruction--it depended on who told the) Tj
T* ( story--was a New York-based gang of hackers. They thought it would be) Tj
T* ( cool to hack Altos. It wasn't that easy to get Altos shell access,) Tj
T* ( which Theorem had, and most people had to settle for using one of the) Tj
T* ( `guest' accounts. But it was much easier to hack Altos from a shell) Tj
T* ( account than from a `guest' account. Theorem's account would be the) Tj
T* ( targeted jump-off point.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( How did MOD get Theorem's Altos password? Most probably they were) Tj
T* ( watching one of the X.25 gateways she used as she passed through) Tj
T* ( Tymnet on her way to Altos. Maybe the MOD boys sniffed her password en) Tj
T* ( route. Or maybe they were watching the Tymnet security officials who) Tj
T* ( were watching that gateway.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the end it didn't matter how MOD got Theorem's password on Altos.) Tj
T* ( What mattered was that they changed her password. When Theorem) Tj
T* ( couldn't get into Altos she was beside herself. She felt like a junkie) Tj
T* ( going cold turkey. It was too much. And of course she couldn't reach) Tj
T* ( Par. Because he was on the run, she had to wait for him to call her.) Tj
T* ( In fact she couldn't reach any of her other friends on Altos to ask) Tj
T* ( for help. How was she going to find them? They were all hackers. They) Tj
T* ( chose handles so no-one would know their real names.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What Theorem didn't know was that, not only had she lost access to) Tj
T* ( Altos, but the MOD boys were using her account to hack the Altos) Tj
T* ( system. To the outside world it appeared as though she was doing it.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem finally managed to get a third-hand message to Gandalf, a) Tj
T* ( well-known British hacker. She sought him out for two reasons. First,) Tj
T* ( he was a good friend and was therefore likely to help her out. Second,) Tj
T* ( Gandalf had root access on Altos, which meant he could give her a new) Tj
T* ( password or account.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gandalf had established quite a reputation for himself in the computer) Tj
T* ( underground through the hacking group 8lgm--The Eight-Legged Groove) Tj
T* ( Machine, named after a British band. He and his friend, fellow British) Tj
T* ( hacker Pad, had the best four legs in the chorus line. They were a) Tj
T* ( world-class act, and certainly some of the best talent to come out of) Tj
T* ( the British hacking scene. But Gandalf and, to a lesser extent, Pad) Tj
T* ( had also developed a reputation for being arrogant. They rubbed some) Tj
T* ( of the American hackers the wrong way. Not that Pad and Gandalf seemed) Tj
T* ( to care. Their attitude was: We're good. We know it. Bugger off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gandalf disabled Theorem's account on Altos. He couldn't very well) Tj
T* ( just change the password and then send the new one through the) Tj
T* ( extended grapevine that Theorem had used to get a message through to) Tj
T* ( him. Clearly, someone had targeted her account specifically. No way) Tj
T* ( was he going to broadcast a new password for her account throughout) Tj
T* ( the underground. But the trouble was that neither Par nor Theorem knew) Tj
T* ( what Gandalf had done.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Meanwhile, Par called Theorem and got an earful. An angry Par vowed to) Tj
T* ( find out just who the hell had been messing with her account.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When the MOD boys told Par they were the culprits, he was a bit) Tj
T* ( surprised because he had always been on good terms with them. Par told) Tj
T* ( them how upset Theorem had been, how she gave him an earful. Then an) Tj
T* ( extraordinary thing happened. Corrupt, the toughest, baddest guy in) Tj
T* ( MOD, the black kid from the roughest part of New York, the hacker who) Tj
T* ( gave shit to everyone because he could, apologised to Par.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The MOD guys never apologised, even when they knew they were in the) Tj
T* ( wrong. Apologies never got anyone very far on a New York City street.) Tj
T* ( It was an attitude thing. `I'm sorry, man' from Corrupt was the) Tj
T* ( equivalent of a normal person licking the mud from the soles of your) Tj
T* ( shoes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The new password was: M0Dm0dM0D. That's the kind of guys they were.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par was just signing off to try out the new password when Corrupt) Tj
T* ( jumped in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, and ah, Par, there's something you should know.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah?' Par answered, anxious to go.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I checked out her mail. There was some stuff in it.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem's letters? Stuff? `What kind of stuff?' he asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Letters from Gandalf.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Friendly letters. Real friendly.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Par wanted to know, but at the same time, he didn't. He could have) Tj
T* ( arranged root access on Altos long ago if he'd really wanted it. But) Tj
T* ( he didn't. He didn't want it because it would mean he could access) Tj
T* ( Theorem's mail. And Par knew that if he could, he would. Theorem was) Tj
T* ( popular on Altos and, being the suspicious type, Par knew he would) Tj
T* ( probably take something perfectly innocent and read it the wrong way.) Tj
T* ( Then he would get in a fight with Theorem, and their time together was) Tj
T* ( too precious for that.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Too friendly,' Corrupt went on. It must have been hard for him to) Tj
T* ( tell Par. Snagging a friend's girlfriend's password and breaking into) Tj
T* ( her account was one thing. There wasn't much wrong with that. But) Tj
T* ( breaking that kind of news, well, that was harsh. Especially since) Tj
T* ( Corrupt had worked with Gandalf in 8lgm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Thanks,' Par said finally. Then he took off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Par tried out the MOD password, it didn't work of course, because) Tj
T* ( Gandalf had disabled the account. But Par didn't know that. Finding) Tj
T* ( out that Theorem's account was disabled didn't bother him, but) Tj
T* ( discovering who disabled it for her didn't make Par all that happy.) Tj
T* ( Still, when he confronted Theorem, she denied that anything was going) Tj
T* ( on between her and Gandalf.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What could Par do? He could believe Theorem or he could doubt her.) Tj
T* ( Believing her was hard, but doubting her was painful. So he chose to) Tj
T* ( believe her.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The incident made Theorem take a long look at Altos. It was doing bad) Tj
T* ( things to her life. In the days that she was locked out of the German) Tj
T* ( chat system, she had made the unpleasant discovery that she was) Tj
T* ( completely addicted. And she didn't like it at all. Staring at her) Tj
T* ( life with fresh eyes, she realised she had been ignoring her friends) Tj
T* ( and her life in Switzerland. What on earth was she doing, spending) Tj
T* ( every night in front of a computer screen?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( So Theorem made a tough decision.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( She decided to stop using Altos forever.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Bad things seemed to happen to The Parmaster around Thanksgiving.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In late November 1991, Par flew up from Virginia Beach to New York. An) Tj
T* ( acquaintance named Morty Rosenfeld, who hung out with the MOD hackers) Tj
T* ( a bit, had invited him to come for a visit. Par thought a trip to the) Tj
T* ( City would do him good.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Morty wasn't exactly Par's best friend, but he was all right. He had) Tj
T* ( been charged by the Feds a few months earlier for selling a password) Tj
T* ( to a credit record company which resulted in credit card fraud. Par) Tj
T* ( didn't go in for selling passwords, but to each his own. Morty wasn't) Tj
T* ( too bad in the right dose. He had a place on Coney Island, which was) Tj
T* ( hardly the Village in Manhattan, but close enough, and he had a) Tj
T* ( fold-out sofa bed. It beat sleeping on the floor somewhere else.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par hung out with a Morty and a bunch of his friends, drinking and) Tj
T* ( goofing around on Morty's computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( One morning, Par woke up with a vicious hangover. His stomach was) Tj
T* ( growling and there was nothing edible in the fridge, so he rang up and) Tj
T* ( ordered pork fried rice from a Chinese take-away. Then he threw on) Tj
T* ( some clothes and sat on the end of the sofa-bed, smoking a cigarette) Tj
T* ( while he waited. He didn't start smoking until he was nineteen, some) Tj
T* ( time late into his second year on the run. It calmed his nerves.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was a knock at the front door. Par's stomach grumbled in) Tj
T* ( response. As he walked toward the front door, he thought Pork Fried) Tj
T* ( Rice, here I come. But when Par opened the front door, there was) Tj
T* ( something else waiting for him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Secret Service.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Two men. An older, distinguished gentleman standing on the left and a) Tj
T* ( young guy on the right. The young guy's eyes opened wide when he saw) Tj
T* ( Par.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Suddenly, the young guy pushed Par, and kept pushing him. Small, hard,) Tj
T* ( fast thrusts. Par couldn't get his balance. Each time he almost got) Tj
T* ( his footing, the agent shoved the hacker backward again until he) Tj
T* ( landed against the wall. The agent spun Par around so his face pressed) Tj
T* ( against the wall and pushed a gun into his kidney. Then he slammed) Tj
T* ( handcuffs on Par and started frisking him for weapons.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par looked at Morty, now sobbing in the corner, and thought, You) Tj
T* ( narced on me.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Once Par was safely cuffed, the agents flashed their badges to him.) Tj
T* ( Then they took him outside, escorted him into a waiting car and drove) Tj
T* ( into Manhattan. They pulled up in front of the World Trade Center and) Tj
T* ( when Par got out the young agent swapped the cuffs so Par's hands were) Tj
T* ( in front of him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As the agents escorted the handcuffed fugitive up a large escalator,) Tj
T* ( the corporate world stared at the trio. Business men and women in prim) Tj
T* ( navy suits, secretaries and office boys all watched wide-eyed from the) Tj
T* ( opposite escalator. And if the handcuffs weren't bad enough, the) Tj
T* ( younger Secret Service agent was wearing a nylon jacket with a) Tj
T* ( noticeable gun-shaped lump in the front pouch.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Why are these guys bringing me in the front entrance? Par kept) Tj
T* ( thinking. Surely there must be a backdoor, a car park back entrance.) Tj
T* ( Something not quite so public.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The view from any reasonably high floor of the World Trade Center is) Tj
T* ( breathtaking, but Par never got a chance to enjoy the vista. He was) Tj
T* ( hustled into a windowless room and handcuffed to a chair. The agents) Tj
T* ( moved in and out, sorting out paperwork details. They uncuffed him) Tj
T* ( briefly while they inked his fingers and rolled them across sheets of) Tj
T* ( paper. Then they made him give handwriting samples, first his right) Tj
T* ( hand then his left.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par didn't mind being cuffed to the chair so much, but he found the) Tj
T* ( giant metal cage in the middle of the fingerprinting room deeply) Tj
T* ( disturbing. It reminded him of an animal cage, the kind used in old) Tj
T* ( zoos.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The two agents who arrested him left the room, but another one came) Tj
T* ( in. And the third agent was far from friendly. He began playing the) Tj
ET
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T* ( bad cop, railing at Par, shouting at him, trying to unnerve him. But) Tj
T* ( no amount of yelling from the agent could rile Par as much as the) Tj
T* ( nature of the questions he asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The agent didn't ask a single question about Citibank. Instead, he) Tj
T* ( demanded to hear everything Par knew about TRW.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( All Par's worst nightmares about the killer spy satellite, about) Tj
T* ( becoming the man who knew too much, rushed through his mind.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par refused to answer. He just sat silently, staring at the agent.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Eventually, the older agent came back into the room, dragged the) Tj
T* ( pitbull agent away and took him outside for a whispered chat. After) Tj
T* ( that, the pitbull agent was all sweetness and light with Par. Not) Tj
T* ( another word about TRW.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par wondered why a senior guy from the Secret Service would tell his) Tj
T* ( minion to clam up about the defence contractor? What was behind the) Tj
T* ( sudden silence? The abrupt shift alarmed Par almost as much as the) Tj
T* ( questions had in the first place.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The agent told Par he would be remanded in custody while awaiting) Tj
T* ( extradition to California. After all the paperwork had been completed,) Tj
T* ( they released him from the handcuffs and let him stand to stretch. Par) Tj
T* ( asked for a cigarette and one of the agents gave him one. Then a) Tj
T* ( couple of other agents--junior guys--came in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The junior agents were very friendly. One of them even shook Par's) Tj
T* ( hand and introduced himself. They knew all about the hacker. They knew) Tj
T* ( his voice from outgoing messages on voicemail boxes he had created for) Tj
T* ( himself. They knew what he looked like from his California police) Tj
T* ( file, and maybe even surveillance photos. They knew his personality) Tj
T* ( from telephone bridge conversations which had been recorded and from) Tj
T* ( the details of his Secret Service file. Perhaps they had even tracked) Tj
T* ( him around the country, following a trail of clues left in his) Tj
T* ( flightpath. Whatever research they had done, one thing was clear.) Tj
T* ( These agents felt like they knew him intimately--Par the person, not) Tj
T* ( just Par the hacker.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was a strange sensation. These guys Par had never met before) Tj
T* ( chatted with him about the latest Michael Jackson video as if he was a) Tj
T* ( neighbour or friend just returned from out of town. Then they took him) Tj
T* ( further uptown, to a police station, for more extradition paperwork.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This place was no World Trade Center deluxe office. Par stared at the) Tj
T* ( peeling grey paint in the ancient room, and then watched officers) Tj
T* ( typing out reports using the two-finger hunt-and-peck method on) Tj
T* ( electric typewriters--not a computer in sight. The officers didn't) Tj
T* ( cuff Par to the desk. Par was in the heart of a police station and) Tj
T* ( there was no way he was going anywhere.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While the officer handling Par was away from his desk for ten minutes,) Tj
T* ( Par felt bored. So he began flipping through the folders with) Tj
T* ( information on other cases on the officer's desk. They were heavy duty) Tj
T* ( fraud cases--mafia and drug-money laundering--cases which carried) Tj
T* ( reference to FBI involvement. These people looked hairy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That day, Par had a quick appearance in court, just long enough to be) Tj
T* ( given protective custody in the Manhattan detention complex known as) Tj
ET
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T* ( the Tombs while he waited for the authorities from California to come) Tj
T* ( and pick him up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par spent almost a week in the Tombs. By day three, he was climbing) Tj
T* ( the walls. It was like being buried alive.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( During that week, Par had almost no contact with other human beings--a) Tj
T* ( terrible punishment for someone with so much need for a continual flow) Tj
T* ( of new information. He never left his cell. His jailer slid trays of) Tj
T* ( food into his cell and took them away.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On day six, Par went nuts. He threw a fit, began screaming and banging) Tj
T* ( on the door. He yelled at the guard. Told him none too nicely that he) Tj
T* ( wanted to `get the fuck outta here'. The guard said he would see if he) Tj
T* ( could get Par transferred to Rikers Island, New York's notorious jail.) Tj
T* ( Par didn't care if he was transferred to the moon, as long as he got) Tj
T* ( out of solitary confinement.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Except for the serial killer, the north infirmary at Rikers Island was) Tj
T* ( a considerable improvement on the Tombs. Par was only locked in his) Tj
T* ( cell at night. During the day he was free to roam inside the infirmary) Tj
T* ( area with other prisoners. Some of them were there because the) Tj
T* ( authorities didn't want to put them in with the hardened criminals,) Tj
T* ( and some of them were there because they were probably criminally) Tj
T* ( insane.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was an eclectic bunch. A fireman turned jewellery heister. A) Tj
T* ( Colombian drug lord. A chop-shop ringleader, who collected more than) Tj
T* ( 300 stolen cars, chopped them up, reassembled them as new and then) Tj
T* ( sold them off. A man who killed a homosexual for coming onto him.) Tj
T* ( `Faggot Killer', as he was known inside, hadn't meant to kill anyone:) Tj
T* ( things had gotten a little out of hand; next thing he knew, he was) Tj
T* ( facing ten to twelve on a murder rap.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par wasn't wild about the idea of hanging out with a murderer, but he) Tj
T* ( was nervous about what could happened to a young man in jail. Forging) Tj
T* ( a friendship with Faggot Killer would send the right message. Besides,) Tj
T* ( the guy seemed to be OK. Well, as long as you didn't look at him the) Tj
T* ( wrong way.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On his first day, Par also met Kentucky, a wild-eyed man who) Tj
T* ( introduced himself by thrusting a crumpled newspaper article into the) Tj
T* ( hacker's hand and saying, `That's me'. The article, titled `Voices) Tj
T* ( Told Him to Kill', described how police had apprehended a serial) Tj
T* ( killer believed to be responsible for a dozen murders, maybe more.) Tj
T* ( During his last murder, Kentucky told Par he had killed a woman--and) Tj
T* ( then written the names of the aliens who had commanded him to do it on) Tj
T* ( the walls of her apartment in her blood.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The jewellery heister tried to warn Par to stay away from Kentucky,) Tj
T* ( who continued to liaise with the aliens on a regular basis. But it was) Tj
T* ( too late. Kentucky decided that he didn't like the young hacker. He) Tj
T* ( started shouting at Par, picking a fight. Par stood there, stunned and) Tj
T* ( confused. How should he deal with an aggravated serial killer? And) Tj
T* ( what the hell was he doing in jail with a serial killer raving at him) Tj
T* ( anyway? It was all too much.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The jewellery heister rushed over to Kentucky and tried to calm him) Tj
T* ( down, speaking in soothing tones. Kentucky glowered at Par, but he) Tj
T* ( stopped yelling.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A few days into his stay at Rikers, Faggot Killer invited Par to join) Tj
T* ( in a game of Dungeons and Dragons. It beat watching TV talk shows all) Tj
T* ( day, so Par agreed. He sat down at the metal picnic table where Faggot) Tj
T* ( Killer had laid out the board.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( So it was that Par, the twenty-year-old computer hacker from) Tj
T* ( California, the X.25 network whiz kid, came to play Dungeons and) Tj
T* ( Dragons with a jewellery thief, a homophobic murderer and a mad serial) Tj
T* ( killer in Rikers Island. Par found himself marvelling at the) Tj
T* ( surrealism of the situation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Kentucky threw himself into the game. He seemed to get off on killing) Tj
T* ( hobgoblins.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I'll take my halberd,' Kentucky began with a smile, `and I stab this) Tj
T* ( goblin.' The next player began to make his move, but Kentucky) Tj
T* ( interrupted. `I'm not done,' he said slowly, as a demonic grin spread) Tj
T* ( across his face. `And I slice it. And cut it. It bleeds everywhere.') Tj
T* ( Kentucky's face tensed with pleasure.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The other three players shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Par) Tj
T* ( looked at Faggot Killer with nervous eyes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `And I thrust a knife into its heart,' Kentucky continued, the volume) Tj
T* ( of his voice rising with excitement. `Blood, blood, everywhere blood.) Tj
T* ( And I take the knife and hack him. And I hack and hack and hack.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Kentucky jumped up from the table and began shouting, thrusting one) Tj
T* ( arm downward through the air with an imaginary dagger, `And I hack and) Tj
T* ( I hack and I hack!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then Kentucky went suddenly still. Everyone at the table froze. No-one) Tj
T* ( dared move for fear of driving him over the edge. Par's stomach had) Tj
T* ( jumped into his throat. He tried to gauge how many seconds it would) Tj
T* ( take to extricate himself from the picnic table and make a break for) Tj
T* ( the far side of the room.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In a daze, Kentucky walked away from the table, leaned his forehead) Tj
T* ( against the wall and began mumbling quietly. The jewellery heister) Tj
T* ( slowly followed and spoke to him briefly in hushed tones before) Tj
T* ( returning to the table.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One of the guards had heard the ruckus and came up to the table.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Is that guy OK?' he asked the jewellery heister while pointing to) Tj
T* ( Kentucky.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Not even if you used that term loosely, Par thought.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Leave him alone,' the heister told the guard. `He's talking to the) Tj
T* ( aliens.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Right.' The guard turned around and left.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Every day, a nurse brought around special medicine for Kentucky. In) Tj
T* ( fact, Kentucky was zonked out most of the time on a cup of horrible,) Tj
T* ( smelly liquid. Sometimes, though, Kentucky secreted his medicine away) Tj
T* ( and traded it with another prisoner who wanted to get zonked out for a) Tj
T* ( day or so.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Those were bad days, the days when Kentucky had sold his medication.) Tj
T* ( It was on one of those days that he tried to kill Par.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par sat on a metal bench, talking to other prisoners, when suddenly he) Tj
T* ( felt an arm wrap around his neck. He tried to turn around, but) Tj
T* ( couldn't.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Here. I'll show you how I killed this one guy,' Kentucky whispered to) Tj
T* ( Par.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No--No--' Par started to say, but Kentucky's biceps began pressing) Tj
T* ( against Par's Adam's apple. It was a vice-like grip.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah. Like this. I did it like this,' Kentucky said as he tensed his) Tj
T* ( muscle and pulled backward.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No! Really, you don't need to. It's OK,' Par gasped. No air. His arms) Tj
T* ( flailing in front of him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( I'm done for, Par thought. My life is over. Hacker Murdered by Serial) Tj
T* ( Killer in Rikers Island. `Aliens Told Me to Do It.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The omnipresent jewellery heister came up to Kentucky and started) Tj
T* ( cooing in his ear to let Par go. Then, just when Par thought he was) Tj
T* ( about to pass out, the jewellery heister pulled Kentucky off him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par reminded himself to always sit with his back against the wall.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally, after almost a month behind bars, Par was informed that an) Tj
T* ( officer from the Monterey County sheriff's office was coming to take) Tj
T* ( him back to California. Par had agreed to be extradited to California) Tj
T* ( after seeing the inside of New York's jails. Dealing with the federal) Tj
T* ( prosecutor in New York had also helped make up his mind.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The US Attorney's Office in New York gave Richard Rosen, who had taken) Tj
T* ( the case on again, a real headache. They didn't play ball. They played) Tj
T* ( `Queen for a Day'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The way they negotiated reminded Rosen of an old American television) Tj
T* ( game of that name. The show's host pulled some innocent soul off the) Tj
T* ( street, seated her on a garish throne, asked her questions and then) Tj
T* ( gave her prizes. The US Attorney's Office in New York wanted to seat) Tj
T* ( Par on a throne, of sorts, to ask him lots of questions. At the end of) Tj
T* ( the unfettered interrogation, they would hand out prizes. Prison) Tj
T* ( terms. Fines. Convictions. As they saw fit. No guaranteed sentences.) Tj
T* ( They would decide what leniency, if any, he would get at the end of) Tj
T* ( the game.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par knew what they were looking for: evidence against the MOD boys. He) Tj
T* ( wasn't having a bar of that. The situation stank, so Par decided not to) Tj
T* ( fight the extradition to California. Anything had to be better than New) Tj
T* ( York, with its crazy jail inmates and arrogant federal prosecutors.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The officer from the Monterey sheriff's office picked Par up on 17) Tj
T* ( December 1991.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par spent the next few weeks in jail in California, but this time he) Tj
T* ( wasn't in any sort of protective custody. He had to share a cell with) Tj
T* ( Mexican drug dealers and other mafia, but at least he knew his way) Tj
ET
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T* ( around these people. And unlike the some of the people at Rikers, they) Tj
T* ( weren't stark raving lunatics.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Richard Rosen took the case back, despite Par's having skipped town) Tj
T* ( the first time, which Par thought was pretty good of the lawyer. But) Tj
T* ( Par had no idea how good it would be for him until it came to his) Tj
T* ( court date.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par called Rosen from the jail, to talk about the case. Rosen had some) Tj
T* ( big news for him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Plead guilty. You're going to plead guilty to everything,' he told) Tj
T* ( Par.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par thought Rosen had lost his marbles.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No. We can win this case if you plead guilty,' Rosen assured him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par sat dumbfounded at the other end of the phone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Trust me,' the lawyer said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The meticulous Richard Rosen had found a devastating weapon.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 23 December 1991, Par pleaded guilty to two charges in Monterey) Tj
T* ( County Juvenile Court. He admitted everything. The whole nine yards.) Tj
T* ( Yes, I am The Parmaster. Yes, I broke into computers. Yes, I took) Tj
T* ( thousands of credit card details from a Citibank machine. Yes, yes,) Tj
T* ( yes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In some way, the experience was cathartic, but only because Par knew) Tj
T* ( Rosen had a brilliant ace up his sleeve.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Rosen had rushed the case to be sure it would be heard in juvenile) Tj
T* ( court, where Par would get a more lenient sentence. But just because) Tj
T* ( Rosen was in a hurry didn't mean he was sloppy. When he went through) Tj
T* ( Par's file with a fine-toothed comb he discovered the official papers) Tj
T* ( declared Par's birthday to be 15 January 1971. In fact, Par's birthday) Tj
T* ( was some days earlier, but the DA's office didn't know that.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Under California law, a juvenile court has jurisdiction over citizens) Tj
T* ( under the age of 21. You can only be tried and sentenced in a juvenile) Tj
T* ( court if you committed the crimes in question while under the age of) Tj
T* ( eighteen and you are still under the age of 21 when you plead and are) Tj
T* ( sentenced.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par was due to be sentenced on 13 January but on 8 January Rosen) Tj
T* ( applied for the case to be thrown out. When Deputy DA David Schott) Tj
T* ( asked why, Rosen dropped his bomb.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par had already turned 21 and the juvenile court had no authority to) Tj
T* ( pass sentence over him. Further, in California, a case cannot be moved) Tj
T* ( into an adult court if the defendant has already entered a plea in a) Tj
T* ( juvenile one. Because Par had already done that, his case couldn't be) Tj
T* ( moved. The matter was considered `dealt with' in the eyes of the law.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Deputy DA was flabbergasted. He spluttered and spewed. The DA's) Tj
T* ( office had dropped the original charges from a felony to a) Tj
T* ( misdemeanour. They had come to the table. How could this happen? Par) Tj
T* ( was a fugitive. He had been on the run for more than two years from) Tj
ET
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T* ( the frigging Secret Service, for Christ's sake. There was no way--NO) Tj
T* ( WAY--he was going to walk out of that courtroom scot-free.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The court asked Par to prove his birthday. A quick driver's licence) Tj
T* ( search at the department of motor vehicles showed Par and his lawyer) Tj
T* ( were telling the truth. So Par walked free.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When he stepped outside the courthouse, Par turned his face toward the) Tj
T* ( sun. After almost two months in three different jails on two sides of) Tj
T* ( the continent, the sun felt magnificent. Walking around felt) Tj
T* ( wonderful. Just wandering down the street made him happy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( However, Par never really got over being on the run.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( From the time he walked free from the County Jail in Salinas,) Tj
T* ( California, he continued to move around the country, picking up) Tj
T* ( temporary work here and there. But he found it hard to settle in one) Tj
T* ( place. Worst of all, strange things began happening to him. Well, they) Tj
T* ( had always happened to him, but they were getting stranger by the) Tj
T* ( month. His perception of reality was changing.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was the incident in the motel room. As Par sat in the Las Vegas) Tj
T* ( Travelodge on one if his cross-country treks, he perceived someone) Tj
T* ( moving around in the room below his. Par strained to hear. It seemed) Tj
T* ( like the man was talking to him. What was the man trying to tell him?) Tj
T* ( Par couldn't quite catch the words, but the more he listened, the more) Tj
T* ( Par was sure he had a message for him which he didn't want anyone else) Tj
T* ( to hear. It was very frustrating. No matter how hard he tried, no) Tj
T* ( matter how he put his ear down to the floor or against the wall, Par) Tj
T* ( couldn't make it out.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The surreal experiences continued. As Par described it, on a trip down) Tj
T* ( to Mexico, he began feeling quite strange, so he went to the US) Tj
T* ( consulate late one afternoon to get some help. But everyone in the) Tj
T* ( consulate behaved bizarrely.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They asked him for some identification, and he gave them his wallet.) Tj
T* ( They took his Social Security card and his California identification) Tj
T* ( card and told him to wait. Par believed they were going to pull up) Tj
T* ( information about him on a computer out the back. While waiting, his) Tj
T* ( legs began to tremble and a continuous shiver rolled up and down his) Tj
T* ( spine. It wasn't a smooth, fluid shiver, it was jerky. He felt like he) Tj
T* ( was sitting at the epicentre of an earthquake and it frightened him.) Tj
T* ( The consulate staff just stared) Tj
T* ( at him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally Par stopped shaking. The other staff member returned and asked) Tj
T* ( him to leave.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No-one can help you here,' he told Par.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Why was the consular official talking to him like that? What did he) Tj
T* ( mean--Par had to leave? What was he really trying to say? Par couldn't) Tj
T* ( understand him. Another consular officer came around to Par, carrying) Tj
T* ( handcuffs. Why was everyone behaving in such a weird way? That) Tj
T* ( computer. Maybe they had found some special message next to his name) Tj
T* ( on that computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par tried to explain the situation, but the consulate staff didn't) Tj
T* ( seem to understand. He told them about how he had been on the run from) Tj
ET
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T* ( the Secret Service for two and a half years, but that just got him) Tj
T* ( queer looks. Blank faces. No comprehende. The more he explained, the) Tj
T* ( blanker the faces became.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The consular officials told him that the office was closing for the) Tj
T* ( day. He would have to leave the building. But Par suspected that was) Tj
T* ( just an excuse. A few minutes later, a Mexican policeman showed up. He) Tj
T* ( talked with one of the consular officials, who subsequently handed him) Tj
T* ( what Par perceived to be a slip of paper wrapped around a wad of peso) Tj
T* ( notes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Two more policemen came into the consulate. One of them turned to Par) Tj
T* ( and said, `Leave!' but Par didn't answer. So the Mexican police) Tj
T* ( grabbed Par by the arms and legs and carried him out of the consulate.) Tj
T* ( Par felt agitated and confused and, as they crossed the threshold out) Tj
T* ( of the consulate, he screamed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They put him in a police car and took him to a jail, where they kept) Tj
T* ( him overnight.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The next day, they released Par and he wandered the city aimlessly) Tj
T* ( before ending up back at the US consulate. The same consular officer) Tj
T* ( came up to him and asked how he was feeling.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par said, `OK.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then Par asked if the official could help him get back to the border,) Tj
T* ( and he said he could. A few minutes later a white van picked up Par) Tj
T* ( and took him to the border crossing. When they arrived, Par asked the) Tj
T* ( driver if he could have $2 so he could buy a ticket for the train. The) Tj
T* ( driver gave it to him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par boarded the train with no idea of where he was headed.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Theorem visited Par in California twice in 1992 and the relationship) Tj
T* ( continued to blossom. Par tried to find work so he could pay her back) Tj
T* ( the $20000 she had lent him during his years on the run and during his) Tj
T* ( court case, but it was hard going. People didn't seem to want to hire) Tj
T* ( him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You don't have any computer skills,' they told him. He calmly) Tj
T* ( explained that, yes, he did indeed have computer skills.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, which university did you get your degree from?' they asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( No, he hadn't got his skills at any university.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, which companies did you get your work experience from?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( No, he hadn't learned his skills while working for a company.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, what did you do from 1989 to 1992?' the temp agency staffer) Tj
T* ( inevitably asked in an exasperated voice.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I ... ah ... travelled around the country.' What else was Par going) Tj
T* ( to say? How could he possibly answer that question?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If he was lucky, the agency might land him a data-entry job at $8 per) Tj
ET
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T* ( hour. If he was less fortunate, he might end up doing clerical work) Tj
T* ( for less than that.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By 1993, things had become a little rocky with Theorem. After four and) Tj
T* ( a half years together, they broke up. The distance was too great, in) Tj
T* ( every sense. Theorem wanted a more stable life--maybe not a) Tj
T* ( traditional Swiss family with three children and a pretty chalet in) Tj
T* ( the Alps, but something more than Par's transient life on the road.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The separation was excruciatingly painful for both of them.) Tj
T* ( Conversation was strained for weeks after the decision. Theorem kept) Tj
T* ( thinking she had made a mistake. She kept wanting to ask Par to come) Tj
T* ( back. But she didn't.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par drowned himself in alcohol. Shots of tequila, one after the other.) Tj
T* ( Scull it. Slam the glass down. Fill it to the top. Throw back another.) Tj
T* ( After a while, he passed out. Then he was violently ill for days, but) Tj
T* ( somehow he didn't mind. It was cleansing to be so ill.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Somewhere along the way, Rosen managed to get Par's things returned) Tj
T* ( from the Secret Service raids. He passed the outdated computer and) Tj
T* ( other equipment back to Par, along with disks, print-outs and notes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par gathered up every shred of evidence from his case, along with a) Tj
T* ( bottle of Jack Daniels, and made a bonfire. He shredded print-outs,) Tj
T* ( doused them in lighter fluid and set them alight. He fed the disks) Tj
T* ( into the fire and watched them melt in the flames. He flipped through) Tj
T* ( the pages and pages of notes and official reports and let them pull) Tj
T* ( out particular memories. Then he crumpled up each one and tossed it in) Tj
T* ( the fire. He even sprinkled a little Jack Daniels across the top for) Tj
T* ( good measure.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As he pulled the pages from a Secret Service report, making them into) Tj
T* ( tight paper balls, something caught his eye and made him wonder. Many) Tj
T* ( hackers around the world had been busted in a series of raids) Tj
T* ( following the first Thanksgiving raid at Par's house back in 1988.) Tj
T* ( Erik Bloodaxe, the MOD boys, the LOD boys, The Atlanta Three, Pad and) Tj
T* ( Gandalf, the Australians--they had all been either busted or raided) Tj
T* ( during 1989, 1990 and 1991.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( How were the raids connected? Were the law-enforcement agencies on) Tj
T* ( three different continents really organised enough to coordinate) Tj
T* ( worldwide attacks on hackers?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Secret Service report gave him a clue. It said that in December) Tj
T* ( 1988, two informants had called Secret Service special agents in) Tj
T* ( separate divisions with information about Par. The informants--both) Tj
T* ( hackers--told the Secret Service that Par was not the `Citibank) Tj
T* ( hacker' the agency was looking for. They said the real `Citibank) Tj
T* ( hacker' was named Phoenix.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix from Australia.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Chapter 5 -- The Holy Grail) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( So we came and conquered and found) Tj
T* ( riches of Commons and Kings) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( -- from `River Runs Red', on Blue Sky Mining by Midnight Oil) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There it was, in black and white. Two articles by Helen Meredith in) Tj
T* ( The Australian in January 1989.2 The whole Australian computer) Tj
T* ( underground was buzzing with the news.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The first article appeared on 14 January:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Citibank hackers score $500,000) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An elite group of Australian hackers has lifted more than) Tj
T* ( $US500,000 \($580,000\) out of America's Citibank in one of the more) Tj
T* ( daring hacking crimes in Australia's history.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Australian federal authorities were reported late yesterday to be) Tj
T* ( working with American authorities to pin down the Australian) Tj
T* ( connection involving hackers in Melbourne and Sydney.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( These are the elite `freekers' of white collar crime ...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Australian connection is reported to have used a telephone in) Tj
T* ( the foyer of Telecom's headquarters at 199 William Street in) Tj
T* ( Melbourne to send a 2600-hertz signal giving them access to a trunk) Tj
T* ( line and ultimately to a managerial access code for Citibank.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sources said last night the hackers had lifted $US563,000 from the) Tj
T* ( US bank and transferred it into several accounts. The money has now) Tj
T* ( been withdrawn ...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Meanwhile, Victorian police were reported yesterday to be) Tj
T* ( systematically searching the homes of dozens of suspects in a) Tj
T* ( crackdown on computer hackers ...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An informed source said Criminal Investigation Bureau officers) Tj
T* ( armed with search warrants were now searching through the) Tj
T* ( belongings of the hacking community and expected to find hundreds) Tj
T* ( of thousands of dollars of goods.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An informed source said Criminal Investigation Bureau officers) Tj
T* ( armed with search warrants were now searching through the) Tj
T* ( belongings of the hacking community and expected to find hundreds) Tj
T* ( of thousands of dollars of goods.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The second article was published ten days later:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hackers list card hauls on boards) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Authorities remain sceptical of the latest reports of an) Tj
T* ( international hacking and phreaking ring and its Australian) Tj
T* ( connection.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Yesterday, however, evidence continued to stream into the Melbourne) Tj
T* ( based bulletin boards under suspicion ...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the latest round of bulletin board activity, a message from a) Tj
T* ( United States hacker known as Captain Cash provided the Australian) Tj
T* ( connection with the latest news on Australian credit cards,) Tj
ET
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T* ( provided by local hackers, and their illegal use by US hackers to) Tj
T* ( the value of $US362 018 \($416112\).) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The information was taken from a computer bulletin board system) Tj
T* ( known as Pacific Island and used actively by the Australian) Tj
T* ( connection.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The message read: `OK on the 5353 series which we are closing) Tj
T* ( today--Mastercard $109 400.50. On the 4564 series--Visa which I'll) Tj
T* ( leave open for a week) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( $209417.90. And on good old don't leave home without someone) Tj
T* ( else's: $43 200.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Making a grand total of) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( $362018.40!) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Let's hear it for our Aussie friends!) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I hear they are doing just as well!) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `They are sending more numbers on the 23rd! Great!) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `They will be getting 10%) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( as usual...a nice bonus of) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( $36 200.00!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The bulletin board also contained advice for phreakers on using) Tj
T* ( telephones in Telecom's 199 William Street headquarters and the) Tj
T* ( green phones at Spencer Street Station in Melbourne--to make free) Tj
T* ( international calls ...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix, another local bulletin board user, listed prices for) Tj
T* ( `EXTC'- tablets ...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Late Friday, The Australian received evidence suggesting a break-in) Tj
T* ( of the US Citibank network by Australian hackers known as The Realm) Tj
T* ( ...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The gang's US connection is believed to be based in Milwaukee and) Tj
T* ( Houston. US Federal authorities have already raided US hackers) Tj
T* ( involved in Citibank break-ins in the US.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A covert operation of the Bureau of Criminal Intelligence has had) Tj
T* ( the Australian connection under surveillance and last week took) Tj
T* ( delivery of six months' of evidence from the Pacific Island board) Tj
T* ( and associated boards going by the name of Zen and Megaworks ...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Australian hackers include a number of Melbourne people, some) Tj
T* ( teenagers, suspected or already convicted of crimes including) Tj
T* ( fraud, drug use and car theft. Most are considered to be at the) Tj
T* ( least, digital voyeurs, at worst criminals with a possible big) Tj
T* ( crime connection.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The information received by The Australian amounts to a confession) Tj
T* ( on the part of the Australian hackers to involvement in the) Tj
T* ( break-in of the US Citibank network as well as advice on phreaking) Tj
ET
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T* ( ... and bank access.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The following is taken directly from the bulletin board ... It was) Tj
T* ( stored in a private mailbox on the board and is from a hacker known) Tj
T* ( as Ivan Trotsky to one who uses the name Killer Tomato:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `OK this is what's been happening ...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `While back a Sysop had a call from the Feds, they wanted Force's,) Tj
T* ( Phoenix's, Nom's, Brett Macmillan's and my names in connection with) Tj
T* ( some hacking The Realm had done and also with some carding meant to) Tj
T* ( have been done too.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Then in the last few days I get info passed to me that the Hack) Tj
T* ( that was done to the Citibank in the US which has led to arrests) Tj
T* ( over there also had connections to Force and Electron ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( DPG monitoring service spokesman, Mr Stuart Gill, said he believed) Tj
T* ( the Pacific Island material was only the tip of the iceberg.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `They're far better organised than the police,' he said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Unless everyone gets their act together and we legislate against) Tj
T* ( it, we'll still be talking about the same things this time next) Tj
T* ( year.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Yesterday, the South Australian police started an operation to put) Tj
T* ( bulletin boards operating in that state under surveillance.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And in Western Australia, both political parties agreed they would) Tj
T* ( proceed with an inquiry into computer hacking, whoever was in) Tj
T* ( government.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Victoria Police fraud squad last week announced it had set up a) Tj
T* ( computer crime squad that would investigate complaints of computer) Tj
T* ( fraud.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The articles were painful reading for most in the computer) Tj
T* ( underground.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Who was this Captain Cash? Who was the Killer Tomato? Many believed) Tj
T* ( they were either Stuart Gill, or that Gill had forged messages by them) Tj
T* ( or others on Bowen's board. Was the underground rife with credit card) Tj
T* ( frauders? No. They formed only a very small part of that community.) Tj
T* ( Had the Melbourne hackers stolen half a million dollars from Citibank?) Tj
T* ( Absolutely not. A subsequent police investigation determined this) Tj
T* ( allegation to be a complete fabrication.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( How had six months' worth of messages from PI and Zen found their way) Tj
T* ( into the hands of the Victoria Police Bureau of Criminal Intelligence?) Tj
T* ( Members of the underground had their suspicions.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To some, Stuart Gill's role in the underground appeared to be that of) Tj
T* ( an information trader. He would feed a police agency information, and) Tj
T* ( garner a little new material from it in exchange. He then amalgamated) Tj
T* ( the new and old material and delivered the new package to another) Tj
T* ( police agency, which provided him a little more material to add to the) Tj
T* ( pot. Gill appeared to play the same game in the underground.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A few members of the underground, particularly PI and Zen regulars) Tj
ET
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T* ( Mentat and Brett MacMillan, suspected chicanery and began fighting a) Tj
T* ( BBS-based war to prove their point. In early 1989, MacMillan posted a) Tj
T* ( message stating that Hackwatch was not registered as a business) Tj
T* ( trading name belonging to Stuart Gill at the Victorian Corporate) Tj
T* ( Affairs office. Further, he stated, DPG Monitoring Services did not) Tj
T* ( exist as an official registered business trading name either.) Tj
T* ( MacMillan then stunned the underground by announcing that he had) Tj
T* ( registered the name Hackwatch himself, presumably to stop Stuart) Tj
T* ( Gill's media appearances as a Hackwatch spokesman.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Many in the underground felt duped by Gill, but they weren't the only) Tj
T* ( ones. Soon some journalists and police would feel the same way. Stuart) Tj
T* ( Gill wasn't even his real name.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What Gill really wanted, some citizens in the underground came to) Tj
T* ( believe, was a public platform from which he could whip up hacker hype) Tj
T* ( and then demand the introduction of tough new anti-hacking laws. In) Tj
T* ( mid-1989, the Commonwealth Government did just that, enacting the) Tj
T* ( first federal computer crime laws.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It wasn't the journalists' fault. For example, in one case Helen) Tj
T* ( Meredith had asked Gill for verification and he had referred her to) Tj
T* ( Superintendent Tony Warren, of the Victoria Police, who had backed him) Tj
T* ( up. A reporter couldn't ask for better verification than that.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And why wouldn't Warren back Gill? A registered ISU informer, Gill) Tj
T* ( also acted as a consultant, adviser, confidant and friend to various) Tj
T* ( members of the Victoria Police. He was close to both Warren and,) Tj
T* ( later, to Inspector Chris Cosgriff. From 1985 to 1987, Warren had) Tj
T* ( worked at the Bureau of Criminal Intelligence \(BCI\). After that, he) Tj
T* ( was transferred to the Internal Investigations Department \(IID\), where) Tj
T* ( he worked with Cosgriff who joined IID in 1988.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Over a six-month period in 1992, Tony Warren received more than 200) Tj
T* ( phone calls from Stuart Gill--45 of them to his home number. Over an) Tj
T* ( eighteen-month period in 1991-92, Chris Cosgriff made at least 76) Tj
T* ( personal visits to Gill's home address and recorded 316 phone calls) Tj
T* ( with him.3) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Internal Security Unit \(ISU\) investigated corruption within the) Tj
T* ( police force. If you had access to ISU, you knew everything that the) Tj
T* ( Victoria Police officially knew about corruption within its ranks. Its) Tj
T* ( information was highly sensitive, particularly since it could involve) Tj
T* ( one police officer dobbing in another. However, a 1993 Victorian) Tj
T* ( Ombudsman's report concluded that Cosgriff leaked a large amount of) Tj
T* ( confidential ISU material to Gill, and that Warren's relationship with) Tj
T* ( Gill was inappropriate.4) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Craig Bowen \(aka Thunderbird1\) came to believe in 1989 that he) Tj
T* ( had been duped by Gill, he retreated into a state of denial and) Tj
T* ( depression. The PI community had trusted him. He entered his) Tj
T* ( friendship with Gill a bright-eyed, innocent young man looking for) Tj
T* ( adventure. He left the friendship betrayed and gun-shy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sad-eyed and feeling dark on the world, Craig Bowen turned off PI and) Tj
T* ( Zen forever.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sitting at his computer sometime in the second half of 1989, Force) Tj
ET
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T* ( stared at his screen without seeing anything, his mind a million miles) Tj
T* ( away. The situation was bad, very bad, and lost in thought, he toyed) Tj
T* ( with his mouse absent-mindedly, thinking about how to deal with this) Tj
T* ( problem.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The problem was that someone in Melbourne was going to be busted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force wanted to discount the secret warning, to rack it up as just) Tj
T* ( another in a long line of rumours which swept through the underground) Tj
T* ( periodically, but he knew he couldn't do that. The warning was rock) Tj
T* ( solid; it had come from Gavin.*) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The way Force told it, his friend Gavin worked as a contractor to) Tj
T* ( Telecom by day and played at hacking at night. He was Force's little) Tj
T* ( secret, who he kept from the other members of The Realm. Gavin was) Tj
T* ( definitely not part of the hacker BBS scene. He was older, he didn't) Tj
T* ( even have a handle and he hacked alone, or with Force, because he saw) Tj
T* ( hacking in groups as risky.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As a Telecom contractor, Gavin had the kind of access to computers and) Tj
T* ( networks which most hackers could only dream about. He also had good) Tj
T* ( contacts inside Telecom--the kind who might answer a few tactfully) Tj
T* ( worded questions about telephone taps and line traces, or might know a) Tj
T* ( bit about police investigations requiring Telecom's help.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force had met Gavin while buying some second-hand equipment through) Tj
T* ( the Trading Post. They hit it off, became friends and soon began) Tj
T* ( hacking together. Under the cover of darkness, they would creep into) Tj
T* ( Gavin's office after everyone else had gone home and hack all night.) Tj
T* ( At dawn, they tidied up and quietly left the building. Gavin went) Tj
T* ( home, showered and returned to work as if nothing had happened.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gavin introduced Force to trashing. When they weren't spending the) Tj
T* ( night in front of his terminal, Gavin crawled through Telecom's) Tj
T* ( dumpsters looking for pearls of information on crumpled bits of office) Tj
T* ( paper. Account names, passwords, dial-up modems, NUAs--people wrote) Tj
T* ( all sorts of things down on scrap paper and then threw it out the next) Tj
T* ( day when they didn't need it any more.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( According to Force, Gavin moved offices frequently, which made it) Tj
T* ( easier to muddy the trail. Even better, he worked from offices which) Tj
T* ( had dozens of employees making hundreds of calls each day. Gavin and) Tj
T* ( Force's illicit activities were buried under a mound of daily) Tj
T* ( legitimate transactions.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The two hackers trusted each other; in fact Gavin was the only person) Tj
T* ( to whom Force revealed the exact address of the CitiSaudi machine. Not) Tj
T* ( even Phoenix, rising star of The Realm and Force's favoured protégé,) Tj
T* ( was privy to all the secrets of Citibank uncovered during Force's) Tj
T* ( network explorations.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force had shared some of this glittering prize with Phoenix, but not) Tj
T* ( all of it. Just a few of the Citibank cards--token trophies--and) Tj
T* ( general information about the Citibank network. Believing the) Tj
T* ( temptation to collect vast numbers of cards and use them would be too) Tj
T* ( great for the young Phoenix, Force tried to keep the exact location of) Tj
T* ( the Citibank machine a secret. He knew that Phoenix might eventually) Tj
T* ( find the Citibank system on his own, and there was little he could do) Tj
T* ( to stop him. But Force was determined that he wouldn't help Phoenix) Tj
T* ( get himself into trouble.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Citibank network had been a rich source of systems--something) Tj
T* ( Force also kept to himself. The more he explored, the more he found in) Tj
T* ( the network. Soon after his first discovery of the CitiSaudi system,) Tj
T* ( he found a machine called CitiGreece which was just as willing to dump) Tj
T* ( card details as its Saudi-American counterpart. Out of fifteen or so) Tj
T* ( credit cards Force discovered on the system, only two appeared to be) Tj
T* ( valid. He figured the others were test cards and that this must be a) Tj
T* ( new site. Not long after the discovery of the CitiGreece machine, he) Tj
T* ( discovered similar embryonic sites in two other countries.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force liked Phoenix and was impressed by the new hacker's enthusiasm) Tj
T* ( and desire to learn about computer networks.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force introduced Phoenix to Minerva, just as Craig Bowen had done for) Tj
T* ( Force some years before. Phoenix learned quickly and came back for) Tj
T* ( more. He was hungry and, in Force's discerning opinion, very bright.) Tj
T* ( Indeed, Force saw a great deal of himself in the young hacker. They) Tj
T* ( were from a similarly comfortable, educated middle-class background.) Tj
T* ( They were also both a little outside the mainstream. Force's family) Tj
T* ( were migrants to Australia. Some of Phoenix's family lived in Israel,) Tj
T* ( and his family was very religious.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix attended one of the most Orthodox Jewish schools in Victoria,) Tj
T* ( a place which described itself as a `modern orthodox Zionist') Tj
T* ( institution. Nearly half the subjects offered in year 9 were in Jewish) Tj
T* ( Studies, all the boys wore yarmulkes and the school expected students) Tj
T* ( to be fluent in Hebrew by the time they graduated.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In his first years at the school, Phoenix had acquired the nickname) Tj
T* ( `The Egg'. Over the following years he became a master at playing the) Tj
T* ( game--jumping through hoops to please teachers. He learned that doing) Tj
T* ( well in religious studies was a good way to ingratiate himself to) Tj
T* ( teachers, as well as his parents and, in their eyes at least, he) Tj
T* ( became the golden-haired boy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anyone scratching below the surface, however, would find the shine of) Tj
T* ( the golden-haired boy was merely gilt. Despite his success in school) Tj
T* ( and his matriculation, Phoenix was having trouble. He had been) Tj
T* ( profoundly affected by the bitter break-up and divorce of his parents) Tj
T* ( when he was about fourteen.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After the divorce, Phoenix was sent to boarding school in Israel for) Tj
T* ( about six months. On his return to Melbourne, he lived with his) Tj
T* ( younger sister and mother at his maternal grandmother's house. His) Tj
T* ( brother, the middle child, lived with his father.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( School friends sometimes felt awkward visiting Phoenix at home. One of) Tj
T* ( his best friends found it difficult dealing with Phoenix's mother,) Tj
T* ( whose vivacity sometimes bordered on the neurotic and shrill. His) Tj
T* ( grandmother was a chronic worrier, who pestered Phoenix about using) Tj
T* ( the home phone line during thunderstorms for fear he would be) Tj
T* ( electrocuted. The situation with Phoenix's father wasn't much better.) Tj
T* ( A manager at Telecom, he seemed to waver between appearing) Tj
T* ( disinterested or emotionally cold and breaking into violent outbursts) Tj
T* ( of anger.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But it was Phoenix's younger brother who seemed to be the problem) Tj
T* ( child. He ran away from home at around seventeen and dealt in drugs) Tj
T* ( before eventually finding his feet. Yet, unlike Phoenix, his brother's) Tj
ET
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T* ( problems had been laid bare for all to see. Hitting rock bottom forced) Tj
T* ( him to take stock of his life and come to terms with his situation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In contrast, Phoenix found less noticeable ways of expressing his) Tj
T* ( rebellion. Among them was his enthusiasm for tools of power--the) Tj
T* ( martial arts, weapons such as swords and staffs, and social) Tj
T* ( engineering. During his final years of secondary school, while still) Tj
T* ( living at his grandmother's home, Phoenix took up hacking. He hung) Tj
T* ( around various Melbourne BBSes, and then he developed an on-line) Tj
T* ( friendship with Force.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force watched Phoenix's hacking skills develop with interest and after) Tj
T* ( a couple of months he invited him to join The Realm. It was the) Tj
T* ( shortest initiation of any Realm member, and the vote to include the) Tj
T* ( new hacker was unanimous. Phoenix proved to be a valuable member,) Tj
T* ( collecting information about new systems and networks for The Realm's) Tj
T* ( databases. At their peak of hacking activity, Force and Phoenix spoke) Tj
T* ( on the phone almost every day.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix's new-found acceptance contrasted with the position of) Tj
T* ( Electron, who visited The Realm regularly for a few months in 1988. As) Tj
T* ( Phoenix basked in the warmth of Force's approval, the) Tj
T* ( eighteen-year-old Electron felt the chill of his increasing scorn.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Force eventually turfed Electron and his friend, Powerspike, out of) Tj
T* ( his exclusive Melbourne club of hackers. Well, that was how Force told) Tj
T* ( it. He told the other members of The Realm that Electron had committed) Tj
T* ( two major sins. The first was that he had been wasting resources by) Tj
T* ( using accounts on OTC's Minerva system to connect to Altos, which) Tj
T* ( meant the accounts would be immediately tracked and killed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Minerva admins such as Michael Rosenberg--sworn enemy of The) Tj
T* ( Realm--recognised the Altos NUA. Rosenberg was OTC's best defence) Tj
T* ( against hackers. He had spent so much time trying to weed them out of) Tj
T* ( Minerva that he knew their habits by heart: hack, then zoom over to) Tj
T* ( Altos for a chat with fellow hackers, then hack some more.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Most accounts on Minerva were held by corporations. How many) Tj
T* ( legitimate users from ANZ Bank would visit Altos? None. So when) Tj
T* ( Rosenberg saw an account connecting to Altos, he silently observed) Tj
T* ( what the hacker was doing--in case he bragged on the German chat) Tj
T* ( board--then changed the password and notified the client, in an effort) Tj
T* ( to lock the hacker out for good.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron's second sin, according to Force, was that he had been) Tj
T* ( withholding hacking information from the rest of the group. Force's) Tj
T* ( stated view--though it didn't seem to apply to him personally--was one) Tj
T* ( in, all in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was a very public expulsion. Powerspike and Electron told each) Tj
T* ( other they didn't really care. As they saw it, they might have visited) Tj
T* ( The Realm BBS now and then but they certainly weren't members of The) Tj
T* ( Realm. Electron joked with Powerspike, `Who would want to be a member) Tj
T* ( of a no-talent outfit like The Realm?' Still, it must have hurt.) Tj
T* ( Hackers in the period 1988-90 depended on each other for information.) Tj
T* ( They honed their skills in a community which shared intelligence and) Tj
T* ( they grew to rely on the pool of information.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Months later, Force grudgingly allowing Electron to rejoin The Realm,) Tj
T* ( but the relationship remained testy. When Electron finally logged in) Tj
ET
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T* ( again, he found a file in the BBS entitled `Scanner stolen from the) Tj
T* ( Electron'. Force had found a copy of Electron's VMS scanner on an) Tj
T* ( overseas computer while Electron was in exile and had felt no qualms) Tj
T* ( about pinching it for The Realm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Except that it wasn't a scanner. It was a VMS Trojan. And there was a) Tj
T* ( big difference. It didn't scan for the addresses of computers on a) Tj
T* ( network. It snagged passwords when people connected from their VMS) Tj
T* ( computers to another machine over an X.25 network. Powerspike cracked) Tj
T* ( up laughing when Electron told him. `Well,' he told Powerspike, `Mr) Tj
T* ( Bigshot Force might know something about Prime computers, but he) Tj
T* ( doesn't know a hell of a lot about VMS.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Despite Electron's general fall from grace, Phoenix talked to the) Tj
T* ( outcast because they shared the obsession. Electron was on a steep) Tj
T* ( learning curve and, like Phoenix, he was moving fast--much faster than) Tj
T* ( any of the other Melbourne hackers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Phoenix admitted talking to Electron regularly, Force tried to) Tj
T* ( pull him away, but without luck. Some of the disapproval was born of) Tj
T* ( Force's paternalistic attitude toward the Australian hacking scene. He) Tj
T* ( considered himself to be a sort of godfather in the hacking community.) Tj
T* ( But Force was also increasingly concerned at Phoenix's ever more) Tj
T* ( flagrant taunting of computer security bigwigs and system admins. In) Tj
T* ( one incident, Phoenix knew a couple of system admins and security) Tj
T* ( people were waiting on a system to trap him by tracing his network) Tj
T* ( connections. He responded by sneaking into the computer unnoticed and) Tj
T* ( quietly logging off each admin. Force laughed about it at the time,) Tj
T* ( but privately the story made him more than a little nervous.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix enjoyed pitting himself against the pinnacles of the computer) Tj
T* ( security industry. He wanted to prove he was better, and he frequently) Tj
T* ( upset people because often he was. Strangely, though, Force's protégé) Tj
T* ( also thought that if he told these experts about a few of the holes in) Tj
T* ( their systems, he would somehow gain their approval. Maybe they would) Tj
T* ( even give him inside information, like new penetration techniques,) Tj
T* ( and, importantly, look after him if things got rough. Force wondered) Tj
T* ( how Phoenix could hold two such conflicting thoughts in his mind at) Tj
T* ( the same time without questioning the logic of either.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was against this backdrop that Gavin came to Force with his urgent) Tj
T* ( warning in late 1989. Gavin had learned that the Australian Federal) Tj
T* ( Police were getting complaints about hackers operating out of) Tj
T* ( Melbourne. The Melbourne hacking community had become very noisy and) Tj
T* ( was leaving footprints all over the place as its members traversed the) Tj
T* ( world's data networks.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There were other active hacking communities outside Australia--in the) Tj
T* ( north of England, in Texas, in New York. But the Melbourne hackers) Tj
T* ( weren't just noisy--they were noisy inside American computers. It) Tj
T* ( wasn't just a case of American hackers breaking into American systems.) Tj
T* ( This was about foreign nationals penetrating American computers. And) Tj
T* ( there was something else which made the Australian hackers a target.) Tj
T* ( The US Secret Service knew an Australian named Phoenix had been inside) Tj
T* ( Citibank, one of the biggest financial institutions in the US.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gavin didn't have many details to give Force. All he knew was that an) Tj
T* ( American law enforcement agency--probably the Secret Service--had been) Tj
T* ( putting enormous pressure on the Australian government to bust these) Tj
T* ( people.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What Gavin didn't know was that the Secret Service wasn't the only) Tj
T* ( source of pressure coming from the other side of the Pacific. The FBI) Tj
T* ( had also approached the Australian Federal Police about the mysterious) Tj
T* ( but noisy Australian hackers who kept breaking into American systems,5) Tj
T* ( and the AFP had acted on the information.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In late 1989, Detective Superintendent Ken Hunt of the AFP headed an) Tj
T* ( investigation into the Melbourne hackers. It was believed to be the) Tj
T* ( first major investigation of computer crime since the introduction of) Tj
T* ( Australia's first federal anti-hacking laws. Like most law enforcement) Tj
T* ( agencies around the world, the AFP were new players in the field of) Tj
T* ( computer crime. Few officers had expertise in computers, let alone) Tj
T* ( computer crime, so this case would prove to be an important proving) Tj
T* ( ground.6) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Gavin broke the news, Force acted immediately. He called Phoenix) Tj
T* ( on the phone, insisting on meeting him in person as soon as possible.) Tj
T* ( As their friendship had progressed, they had moved from talking) Tj
T* ( on-line to telephone conversations and finally to spending time) Tj
T* ( together in person. Force sat Phoenix down alone and gave him a stern) Tj
T* ( warning. He didn't tell him how he got his information, but he made it) Tj
T* ( clear the source was reliable.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The word was that the police felt they had to bust someone. It had) Tj
T* ( come to the point where an American law enforcement officer had) Tj
T* ( reportedly told his Australian counterpart, `If you don't do something) Tj
T* ( about it soon, we'll do something about it ourselves'. The American) Tj
T* ( hadn't bothered to elaborate on just how they might do something about) Tj
T* ( it, but it didn't matter.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix looked suddenly pale. He had certainly been very noisy, and) Tj
T* ( was breaking into systems virtually all the time now. Many of those) Tj
T* ( systems were in the US.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He certainly didn't want to end up like the West German hacker) Tj
T* ( Hagbard, whose petrol-doused, charred remains had been discovered in a) Tj
T* ( German forest in June 1989.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An associate of Pengo's, Hagbard had been involved in a ring of German) Tj
T* ( hackers who sold the information they found in American computers to a) Tj
T* ( KGB agent in East Germany from 1986 to 1988.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In March 1989, German police raided the homes and offices of the) Tj
T* ( German hacking group and began arresting people. Like Pengo, Hagbard) Tj
T* ( had secretly turned himself into the German authorities months before) Tj
T* ( and given full details of the hacking ring's activities in the hope of) Tj
T* ( gaining immunity from prosecution.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( American law enforcement agencies and prosecutors had not been) Tj
T* ( enthusiastic about showing the hackers any leniency. Several US) Tj
T* ( agencies, including the CIA and the FBI, had been chasing the German) Tj
T* ( espionage ring and they wanted stiff sentences, preferably served in) Tj
T* ( an American prison.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( German court proceedings were under way when Hagbard's body was found.) Tj
T* ( Did he commit suicide or was he murdered? No-one knew for sure, but) Tj
T* ( the news shook the computer underground around the world. Hackers) Tj
T* ( discussed the issue in considerable depth. On the one hand, Hagbard) Tj
T* ( had a long history of mental instability and drug use, having spent) Tj
ET
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T* ( time in psychiatric hospitals and detoxification centres off and on) Tj
T* ( since the beginning of 1987. On the other hand, if you were going to) Tj
T* ( kill yourself, would you really want to die in the agony of a petrol) Tj
T* ( fire? Or would you just take a few too many pills or a quick bullet?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Whether it was murder or suicide, the death of Hagbard loomed large) Tj
T* ( before Phoenix. Who were the American law enforcement agencies after) Tj
T* ( in Australia? Did they want him?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( No. Force reassured him, they were after Electron. The problem for) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was that he kept talking to Electron on the phone--in voice) Tj
T* ( conversations. If Phoenix continued associating with Electron, he too) Tj
T* ( would be scooped up in the AFP's net.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The message to Phoenix was crystal clear.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Stay away from Electron.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Listen, you miserable scum-sucking pig.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Huh?' Phoenix answered, only half paying attention.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Piece of shit machine. I did all this editing and the damn thing) Tj
T* ( didn't save the changes,' Electron growled at the Commodore Amiga,) Tj
T* ( with its 512 k of memory, sitting on the desk in his bedroom.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was January 1990 and both Phoenix and Electron were at home on) Tj
T* ( holidays before the start of university.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah. Wish I could get this thing working. Fucking hell. Work you!') Tj
T* ( Phoenix yelled. Electron could hear him typing at the other end of the) Tj
T* ( phone while he talked. He had been struggling to get AUX, the Apple) Tj
T* ( version of Unix, running on his Macintosh SE30 for days.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was difficult to have an uninterrupted conversation with Phoenix.) Tj
T* ( If it wasn't his machine crashing, it was his grandmother asking him) Tj
T* ( questions from the doorway of his room.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You wanna go through the list? How big is your file?' Phoenix asked,) Tj
T* ( now more focused on the conversation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Huh? Which file?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `The dictionary file. The words to feed into the password cracker,') Tj
T* ( Phoenix replied.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron pulled up his list of dictionary words and looked) Tj
T* ( at it. I'm going to have to cut this list down a bit, he thought. The) Tj
T* ( dictionary was part of the password cracking program.) Tj
T* ( The larger the dictionary, the longer it took the computer to crack a) Tj
T* ( list of passwords. If he could weed out obscure words--words that) Tj
T* ( people were unlikely to pick as passwords--then he could make his) Tj
T* ( cracker run faster.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An efficient password cracker was a valuable tool. Electron would feed) Tj
T* ( his home computer a password file from a target computer, say from) Tj
T* ( Melbourne University, then go to bed. About twelve hours later, he) Tj
T* ( would check on his machine's progress.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If he was lucky, he would find six or more accounts--user names and) Tj
T* ( their passwords--waiting for him in a file. The process was completely) Tj
T* ( automated. Electron could then log into Melbourne University using the) Tj
T* ( cracked accounts, all of which could be used as jumping-off points for) Tj
T* ( hacking into other systems for the price of a local telephone call.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Cracking Unix passwords wasn't inordinately difficult,) Tj
T* ( provided the different components of the program, such as the) Tj
T* ( dictionary, had been set up properly. However, it was time-consuming.) Tj
T* ( The principle was simple. Passwords, kept in password files with their) Tj
T* ( corresponding user names, were encrypted. It was as impossible to) Tj
T* ( reverse the encryption process as it was to unscramble an omelette.) Tj
T* ( Instead, you needed to recreate the encryption process and compare the) Tj
T* ( results.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There were three basic steps. First, target a computer and get a copy) Tj
T* ( of its password file. Second, take a list of commonly used passwords,) Tj
T* ( such as users' names from the password file or words from a) Tj
T* ( dictionary, and encrypt those into a second list. Third, put the two) Tj
T* ( lists side by side and compare them. When you have a match, you have) Tj
T* ( found the password.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( However, there was one important complication: salts. A salt changed) Tj
T* ( the way a password was encrypted, subtly modifying the way the DES) Tj
T* ( encryption algorithm worked. For example, the word `Underground') Tj
T* ( encrypts two different ways with two different salts: `kyvbExMcdAOVM') Tj
T* ( or `lhFaTmw4Ddrjw'. The first two characters represent the salt, the) Tj
T* ( others represent the password. The computer chooses a salt randomly) Tj
T* ( when it encrypts a user's password. Only one is used, and there are) Tj
T* ( 4096 different salts. All Unix computers use salts in their password) Tj
T* ( encryption process.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Salts were intended to make password cracking far more difficult, so a) Tj
T* ( hacker couldn't just encrypt a dictionary once and then compare it to) Tj
T* ( every list of encrypted passwords he came across in his hacking) Tj
T* ( intrusions. The 4096 salts mean that a hacker would have to use 4096) Tj
T* ( different dictionaries--each encrypted with a different salt--to) Tj
T* ( discover any dictionary word passwords.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On any one system penetrated by Electron, there might be only 25) Tj
T* ( users, and therefore only 25 passwords, most likely using 25 different) Tj
T* ( salts. Since the salt characters were stored immediately before the) Tj
T* ( encrypted password, he could easily see which salt was being used for) Tj
T* ( a particular password. He would therefore only have to encrypt a) Tj
T* ( dictionary 25 different times.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Still, even encrypting a large dictionary 25 times using different) Tj
T* ( salts took up too much hard-drive space for a basic home computer. And) Tj
T* ( that was just the dictionary. The most sophisticated cracking programs) Tj
T* ( also produced `intelligent guesses' of passwords. For example, the) Tj
T* ( program might take the user's name and try it in both upper- and) Tj
T* ( lower-case letters. It might also add a `1' at the end. In short, the) Tj
T* ( program would create new guesses by permutating, shuffling, reversing) Tj
T* ( and recombining basic information such as a user's name into new) Tj
T* ( `words'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `It's 24000 words. Too damn big,' Electron said. Paring down a) Tj
T* ( dictionary was a game of trade-offs. The fewer words in a cracking) Tj
T* ( dictionary, the less time it was likely to take a computer to break) Tj
ET
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T* ( the encrypted passwords. A smaller dictionary, however, also meant) Tj
T* ( fewer guesses and so a reduced chance of cracking the password of any) Tj
T* ( given account.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hmm. Mine's 24328. We better pare it down together.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah. OK. Pick a letter.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `C. Let's start with the Cs.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Why C?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `C. For my grandmother's cat, Cocoa.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah. OK. Here goes. Cab, Cabal. Cabala. Cabbala.' Electron paused.) Tj
T* ( `What the fuck is a Cabbala?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Dunno. Yeah. I've got those. Not Cabbala. OK, Cabaret. Cabbage. Fuck,) Tj
T* ( I hate cabbage. Who'd pick Cabbage as their password?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `A Pom,' Electron answered.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah,' Phoenix laughed before continuing.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix sometimes stopped to think about Force's warning, but usually) Tj
T* ( he just pushed it to one side when it crept, unwelcomed, into his) Tj
T* ( thoughts. Still, it worried him. Force took it seriously enough. Not) Tj
T* ( only had he stopped associating with Electron, he appeared to have) Tj
T* ( gone very, very quiet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In fact, Force had found a new love: music. He was writing and) Tj
T* ( performing his own songs. By early 1990 he seemed so busy with his) Tj
T* ( music that he had essentially put The Realm on ice. Its members took) Tj
T* ( to congregating on a machine owned by another Realm member, Nom, for a) Tj
T* ( month or so.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Somehow, however, Phoenix knew that wasn't all of the story. A hacker) Tj
T* ( didn't pick up and walk away from hacking just like that. Especially) Tj
T* ( not Force. Force had been obsessed with hacking. It just didn't make) Tj
T* ( sense. There had to be something more. Phoenix comforted himself with) Tj
T* ( the knowledge that he had followed Force's advice and had stayed away) Tj
T* ( from Electron. Well, for a while anyway.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He had backed right off, watched and waited, but nothing happened.) Tj
T* ( Electron was as active in the underground as ever but he hadn't been) Tj
T* ( busted. Nothing had changed. Maybe Force's information had been wrong.) Tj
T* ( Surely the feds would have busted Electron by now if they were going) Tj
T* ( to do anything. So Phoenix began to rebuild his relationship with) Tj
T* ( Electron. It was just too tempting. Phoenix was determined not to let) Tj
T* ( Force's ego impede his own progress.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By January 1990, Electron was hacking almost all the time. The only) Tj
T* ( time he wasn't hacking was when he was sleeping, and even then he) Tj
T* ( often dreamed of hacking. He and Phoenix were sailing past all the) Tj
T* ( other Melbourne hackers. Electron had grown beyond Powerspike's) Tj
T* ( expertise just as Phoenix had accelerated past Force. They were moving) Tj
T* ( away from X.25 networks and into the embryonic Internet, which was) Tj
T* ( just as illegal since the universities guarded computer) Tj
T* ( accounts--Internet access--very closely.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Even Nom, with his growing expertise in the Unix operating system) Tj
T* ( which formed the basis of many new Internet sites, wasn't up to) Tj
T* ( Electron's standard. He didn't have the same level of commitment to) Tj
T* ( hacking, the same obsession necessary to be a truly cutting-edge) Tj
T* ( hacker. In many ways, the relationship between Nom and Phoenix) Tj
T* ( mirrored the relationship between Electron and Powerspike: the support) Tj
T* ( act to the main band.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron didn't consider Phoenix a close friend, but he was a kindred) Tj
T* ( spirit. In fact he didn't trust Phoenix, who had a big mouth, a big) Tj
T* ( ego and a tight friendship with Force--all strikes against him. But) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was intelligent and he wanted to learn. Most of all, he had) Tj
T* ( the obsession. Phoenix contributed to a flow of information which) Tj
T* ( stimulated Electron intellectually, even if more information flowed) Tj
T* ( toward Phoenix than from him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Within a month, Phoenix and Electron were in regular contact, and) Tj
T* ( during the summer holidays they were talking on the phone--voice--all) Tj
T* ( the time, sometimes three or four times a day. Hack then talk. Compare) Tj
T* ( notes. Hack some more. Check in again, ask a few questions. Then back) Tj
T* ( to hacking.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The actual hacking was generally a solo act. For a social animal like) Tj
T* ( Phoenix, it was a lonely pursuit. While many hackers revelled in the) Tj
T* ( intense isolation, some, such as Phoenix, also needed to check in with) Tj
T* ( fellow humanity once in a while. Not just any humanity--those who) Tj
T* ( understood and shared in the obsession.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Caboodle. Caboose, `Electron went on, `Cabriolet. What the hell is a) Tj
T* ( Cabriolet? Do you know?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah,' Phoenix answered, then rushed on. `OK. Cacao. Cache. Cachet) Tj
T* ( ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Tell us. What is it?' Electron cut Phoenix off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Cachinnation. Cachou ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Do you know?' Electron asked again, slightly irritated. As usual,) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was claiming to know things he probably didn't.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hmm? Uh, yeah,' Phoenix answered weakly. `Cackle. Cacophony ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron knew that particular Phoenix `yeah'--the one which said `yes') Tj
T* ( but meant `no, and I don't want to own up to it either so let's drop) Tj
T* ( it'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron made it a habit not to believe most of the things Phoenix) Tj
T* ( told him. Unless there was some solid proof, Electron figured it was) Tj
T* ( just hot air. He didn't actually like Phoenix much as a person, and) Tj
T* ( found talking to him difficult at times. He preferred the company of) Tj
T* ( his fellow hacker Powerspike.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Powerspike was both bright and creative. Electron clicked with him.) Tj
T* ( They often joked about the other's bad taste in music. Powerspike) Tj
T* ( liked heavy metal, and Electron liked indie music. They shared a) Tj
T* ( healthy disrespect for authority. Not just the authority of places) Tj
T* ( they hacked into, like the US Naval Research Laboratories or NASA, but) Tj
T* ( the authority of The Realm. When it came to politics, they both leaned) Tj
T* ( to the left. However, their interest tended more toward) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( anarchy--opposing symbols of the military-industrial complex--than to) Tj
T* ( joining a political party.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After their expulsion from The Realm, Electron had been a little) Tj
T* ( isolated for a time. The tragedy of his personal life had contributed) Tj
T* ( to the isolation. At the age of eight, he had seen his mother die of) Tj
T* ( lung cancer. He hadn't witnessed the worst parts of her dying over two) Tj
T* ( years, as she had spent some time in a German cancer clinic hoping for) Tj
T* ( a reprieve. She had, however, come home to die, and Electron had) Tj
T* ( watched her fade away.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When the phone call from hospital came one night, Electron could tell) Tj
T* ( what had happened from the serious tones of the adults. He burst into) Tj
T* ( tears. He could hear his father answering questions on the phone. Yes,) Tj
T* ( the boy had taken it hard. No, his sister seemed to be OK. Two years) Tj
T* ( younger than Electron, she was too young to understand.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron had never been particularly close to his sister. He viewed) Tj
T* ( her as an unfeeling, shallow person--someone who simply skimmed along) Tj
T* ( the surface of life. But after their mother's death, their father) Tj
T* ( began to favour Electron's sister, perhaps because of her resemblance) Tj
T* ( to his late wife. This drove a deeper, more subtle wedge between) Tj
T* ( brother and sister.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron's father, a painter who taught art at a local high school,) Tj
T* ( was profoundly affected by his wife's death. Despite some barriers of) Tj
T* ( social class and money, theirs had been a marriage of great affection) Tj
T* ( and love and they made a happy home. Electron's father's paintings) Tj
T* ( hung on almost every wall in the house, but after his wife's death he) Tj
T* ( put down his brushes and never took them up again. He didn't talk) Tj
T* ( about it. Once, Electron asked him why he didn't paint any more. He) Tj
T* ( looked away and told Electron that he had `lost the motivation'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron's grandmother moved into the home to help her son care for) Tj
T* ( his two children, but she developed Alzheimer's disease. The children) Tj
T* ( ended up caring for her. As a teenager, Electron thought it was) Tj
T* ( maddening caring for someone who couldn't even remember your name.) Tj
T* ( Eventually, she moved into a nursing home.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In August 1989, Electron's father arrived home from the doctor's) Tj
T* ( office. He had been mildly ill for some time, but refused to take time) Tj
T* ( off work to visit a doctor. He was proud of having taken only one) Tj
T* ( day's sick leave in the last five years. Finally, in the holidays, he) Tj
T* ( had seen a doctor who had conducted numerous tests. The results had) Tj
T* ( come in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron's father had bowel cancer and the disease had spread. It) Tj
T* ( could not be cured. He had two years to live at the most.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron was nineteen years old at the time, and his early love of the) Tj
T* ( computer, and particularly the modem, had already turned into a) Tj
T* ( passion. Several years earlier his father, keen to encourage his) Tj
T* ( fascination with the new machines, used to bring one of the school's) Tj
T* ( Apple IIes home over weekends and holidays. Electron spent hours at) Tj
T* ( the borrowed machine. When he wasn't playing on the computer, he read,) Tj
T* ( plucking one of his father's spy novels from the over-crowded) Tj
T* ( bookcases, or his own favourite book, The Lord of The Rings.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Computer programming had, however, captured the imagination of the) Tj
T* ( young Electron years before he used his first computer. At the age of) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( eleven he was using books to write simple programs on paper--mostly) Tj
T* ( games--despite the fact that he had never actually touched a keyboard.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His school may have had a few computers, but its administrators had) Tj
T* ( little understanding of what to do with them. In year 9, Electron had) Tj
T* ( met with the school's career counsellor, hoping to learn about career) Tj
T* ( options working with computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I think maybe I'd like to do a course in computer programming ...') Tj
T* ( His voice trailed off, hesitantly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Why would you want to do that?' she said. `Can't you think of) Tj
T* ( anything better than that?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Uhm ...' Electron was at a loss. He didn't know what to do. That was) Tj
T* ( why he had come to her. He cast around for something which seemed a) Tj
T* ( more mainstream career option but which might also let him work on) Tj
T* ( computers. `Well, accounting maybe?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh yes, that's much better,' she said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You can probably even get into a university, and study accounting) Tj
T* ( there. I'm sure you will enjoy it,' she added, smiling as she closed) Tj
T* ( his file.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The borrowed computers were, in Electron's opinion, one of the few) Tj
T* ( good things about school. He did reasonably well at school, but only) Tj
T* ( because it didn't take much effort. Teachers consistently told his) Tj
T* ( father that Electron was underachieving and that he distracted the) Tj
T* ( other students in class. For the most part, the criticism was just) Tj
T* ( low-level noise. Occasionally, however, Electron had more serious) Tj
T* ( run-ins with his teachers. Some thought he was gifted. Others thought) Tj
T* ( the freckle-faced, Irish-looking boy who helped his friends set fire) Tj
T* ( to textbooks at the back of the class was nothing but a smart alec.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When he was sixteen, Electron bought his own computer. He used it to) Tj
T* ( crack software protection, just as Par had done. The Apple was soon) Tj
T* ( replaced by a more powerful Amiga with a 20 megabyte IBM compatible) Tj
T* ( sidecar. The computers lived, in succession, on one of the two desks) Tj
T* ( in his bedroom. The second desk, for his school work, was usually) Tj
T* ( piled high with untouched assignments.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The most striking aspect of Electron's room was the ream after ream of) Tj
T* ( dot matrix computer print-out which littered the floor. Standing at) Tj
T* ( almost any point in the simply furnished room, someone could reach out) Tj
T* ( and grab at least one pile of print-outs, most of which contained) Tj
T* ( either usernames and passwords or printed computer program code. In) Tj
T* ( between the piles of print-outs, were T-shirts, jeans, sneakers and) Tj
T* ( books on the floor. It was impossible to walk across Electron's room) Tj
T* ( without stepping on something.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The turning point for Electron was the purchase of a second-hand 300) Tj
T* ( baud modem in 1986. Overnight, the modem transformed Electron's love) Tj
T* ( of the computer into an obsession. During the semester immediately) Tj
T* ( before the modem's arrival, Electron's report card showed six As and) Tj
T* ( one B. The following semester he earned six Bs and only one A.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron had moved onto bigger and better things than school. He) Tj
T* ( quickly became a regular user of underground BBSes and began hacking.) Tj
T* ( He was enthralled by an article he discovered describing how several) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( hackers claimed to have moved a satellite around in space simply by) Tj
T* ( hacking computers. From that moment on, Electron decided he wanted to) Tj
T* ( hack--to find out if the article was true.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Before he graduated from school in 1987, Electron had hacked NASA, an) Tj
T* ( achievement which saw him dancing around the dining room table in the) Tj
T* ( middle of the night chanting, `I got into NASA! I got into NASA!' He) Tj
T* ( hadn't moved any satellites, but getting into the space agency was as) Tj
T* ( thrilling as flying to the moon.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By 1989, he had been hacking regularly for years, much to the chagrin) Tj
T* ( of his sister, who claimed her social life suffered because the) Tj
T* ( family's sole phone line was always tied up by the modem.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For Phoenix, Electron was a partner in hacking, and to a lesser degree) Tj
T* ( a mentor. Electron had a lot to offer, by that time even more than The) Tj
T* ( Realm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Cactus, Cad, Cadaver, Caddis, Cadence, Cadet, Caesura. What the fuck) Tj
T* ( is a Caesura?' Phoenix kept ploughing through the Cs.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Dunno. Kill that,' Electron answered, distracted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Caesura. Well, fuck. I know I'd wanna use that as a password.') Tj
T* ( Phoenix laughed. `What the hell kind of word is Caduceus?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `A dead one. Kill all those. Who makes up these dictionaries?') Tj
T* ( Electron said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Caisson, Calabash. Kill those. Kill, kill, kill,' Electron said) Tj
T* ( gleefully.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hang on. How come I don't have Calabash in my list?' Phoenix feigned) Tj
T* ( indignation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron laughed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hey,' Phoenix said, `we should put in words like "Qwerty" and) Tj
T* ( "ABCDEF" and "ASDFGH".') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Did that already.' Electron had already put together a list of other) Tj
T* ( common passwords, such as the `words' made when a user typed the six) Tj
T* ( letters in the first alphabet row on a keyboard.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix started on the list again. `OK the COs. Commend, Comment,) Tj
T* ( Commerce, Commercial, Commercialism, Commercially. Kill those last) Tj
T* ( three.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Huh? Why kill Commercial?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Let's just kill all the words with more than eight characters,') Tj
T* ( Phoenix said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No. That's not a good idea.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `How come? The computer's only going to read the first eight) Tj
T* ( characters and encrypt those. So we should kill all the rest.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( Sometimes Phoenix just didn't get it. But Electron didn't rub it in.) Tj
T* ( He kept it low-key, so as not to bruise Phoenix's ego. Often Electron) Tj
T* ( sensed Phoenix sought approval from the older hacker, but it was a) Tj
T* ( subtle, perhaps even unconscious search.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Nah,' Electron began, `See, someone might use the whole word,) Tj
T* ( Commerce or Commercial. The first eight letters of these words are not) Tj
T* ( the same. The eighth character in Commerce is "e", but in Commercial) Tj
T* ( it's "i".') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was a short silence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah,' Electron went on, `but you could kill all the words) Tj
T* ( like Commercially, and Commercialism, that come after Commercial.) Tj
T* ( See?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah. OK. I see,' Phoenix said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `But don't just kill every word longer than eight characters,') Tj
T* ( Electron added.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hmm. OK. Yeah, all right.' Phoenix seemed a bit out of sorts. `Hey,') Tj
T* ( he brightened a bit, `it's been a whole ten minutes since my machine) Tj
T* ( crashed.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah?' Electron tried to sound interested.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah. You know,' Phoenix changed the subject to his favourite topic,) Tj
T* ( `what we really need is Deszip. Gotta get that.' Deszip was a computer) Tj
T* ( program which could be used for password cracking.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `And Zardoz. We need Zardoz,' Electron added. Zardoz was a restricted) Tj
T* ( electronic publication detailing computer security holes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah. Gotta try to get into Spaf's machine. Spaf'll have it for) Tj
T* ( sure.' Eugene Spafford, Associate Professor of Computer Science at) Tj
T* ( Purdue University in the US, was one of the best known computer) Tj
T* ( security experts on the Internet in 1990.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And so began their hunt for the holy grail.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Deszip and Zardoz glittered side by side as the most coveted prizes in) Tj
T* ( the world of the international Unix hacker.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Cracking passwords took time and computer resources. Even a moderately) Tj
T* ( powerful university machine would grunt and groan under the weight of) Tj
T* ( the calculations if it was asked to do. But the Deszip program could) Tj
T* ( change that, lifting the load until it was, by comparison,) Tj
T* ( feather-light. It worked at breathtaking speed and a hacker using) Tj
T* ( Deszip could crack encrypted passwords up to 25 times faster.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Zardoz, a worldwide security mailing list, was also precious, but for) Tj
T* ( a different reason. Although the mailing list's formal name was) Tj
T* ( Security Digest, everyone in the underground simply called it Zardoz,) Tj
T* ( after the computer from which the mailouts originated. Zardoz also) Tj
T* ( happened to be the name of a science fiction cult film starring Sean) Tj
ET
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T* ( Connery. Run by Neil Gorsuch, the Zardoz mailing list contained) Tj
T* ( articles, or postings, from various members of the computer security) Tj
T* ( industry. The postings discussed newly discovered bugs--problems with) Tj
T* ( a computer system which could be exploited to break into or gain root) Tj
T* ( access on a machine. The beauty of the bugs outlined in Zardoz was) Tj
T* ( that they worked on any computer system using the programs or) Tj
T* ( operating systems it described. Any university, any military system,) Tj
T* ( any research institute which ran the software documented in Zardoz was) Tj
T* ( vulnerable. Zardoz was a giant key ring, full of pass keys made to fit) Tj
T* ( virtually every lock.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( True, system administrators who read a particular Zardoz posting might) Tj
T* ( take steps to close up that security hole. But as the hacking) Tj
T* ( community knew well, it was a long time between a Zardoz posting and a) Tj
T* ( shortage of systems with that hole. Often a bug worked on many) Tj
T* ( computers for months--sometimes years--after being announced on) Tj
T* ( Zardoz.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Why? Many admins had never heard of the bug when it was first) Tj
T* ( announced. Zardoz was an exclusive club, and most admins simply) Tj
T* ( weren't members. You couldn't just walk in off the street and sign up) Tj
T* ( for Zardoz. You had to be vetted by peers in the computer security) Tj
T* ( industry. You had to administer a legitimate computer system,) Tj
T* ( preferably with a large institution such as a university or a research) Tj
T* ( body such as CSIRO. Figuratively speaking, the established members of) Tj
T* ( the Zardoz mailing list peered down their noses at you and determined) Tj
T* ( if you were worthy of inclusion in Club Zardoz. Only they decided if) Tj
T* ( you were trustworthy enough to share in the great security secrets of) Tj
T* ( the world's computer systems.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In 1989, the white hats, as hackers called the professional security) Tj
T* ( gurus, were highly paranoid about Zardoz getting into the wrong hands.) Tj
T* ( So much so, in fact, that many postings to Zardoz were fine examples) Tj
T* ( of the art of obliqueness. A computer security expert would hint at a) Tj
T* ( new bug in his posting without actually coming out and explaining it) Tj
T* ( in what is commonly referred to as a `cookbook' explanation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This led to a raging debate within the comp-sec industry. In one) Tj
T* ( corner, the cookbook purists said that bulletins such as Zardoz were) Tj
T* ( only going to be helpful if people were frank with each other. They) Tj
T* ( wanted people posting to Zardoz to provide detailed, step-by-step) Tj
T* ( explanations on how to exploit a particular security hole. Hackers) Tj
T* ( would always find out about bugs one way or another and the best way) Tj
T* ( to keep them out of your system was to secure it properly in the first) Tj
T* ( place. They wanted full disclosure.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the other corner, the hard-line, command-and-control computer) Tj
T* ( security types argued that posting an announcement to Zardoz posed the) Tj
T* ( gravest of security risks. What if Zardoz fell into the wrong hands?) Tj
T* ( Why, any sixteen-year-old hacker would have step-by-step directions) Tj
T* ( showing how to break into thousands of individual computers! If you) Tj
T* ( had to reveal a security flaw--and the jury was still out in their) Tj
T* ( minds as to whether that was such a good idea--it should be done only) Tj
T* ( in the most oblique terms.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What the hard-liners failed to understand was that world-class hackers) Tj
T* ( like Electron could read the most oblique, carefully crafted Zardoz) Tj
T* ( postings and, within a matter of days if not hours, work out exactly) Tj
T* ( how to exploit the security hole hinted at in the text. After which) Tj
T* ( they could just as easily have written a cookbook version of the) Tj
ET
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T* ( security bug.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Most good hackers had come across one or two issues of Zardoz in their) Tj
T* ( travels, often while rummaging though the system administrator's mail) Tj
T* ( on a prestigious institution's computer. But no-one from the elite of) Tj
T* ( the Altos underground had a full archive of all the back issues. The) Tj
T* ( hacker who possessed that would have details of every major security) Tj
T* ( hole discovered by the world's best computer security minds since at) Tj
T* ( least 1988.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Like Zardoz, Deszip was well guarded. It was written by computer) Tj
T* ( security expert Dr Matthew Bishop, who worked at NASA's Research) Tj
T* ( Institute for Advanced Computer Science before taking up a teaching) Tj
T* ( position at Dartmouth, an Ivy League college in New Hampshire. The) Tj
T* ( United States government deemed Deszip's very fast encryption) Tj
T* ( algorithms to be so important, they were classified as armaments. It) Tj
T* ( was illegal to export them from the US.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Of course, few hackers in 1990 had the sophistication to use weapons) Tj
T* ( such as Zardoz and Deszip properly. Indeed, few even knew they) Tj
T* ( existed. But Electron and Phoenix knew, along with a tiny handful of) Tj
T* ( others, including Pad and Gandalf from Britain. Congregating on Altos) Tj
T* ( in Germany, they worked with a select group of others carefully) Tj
T* ( targeting sites likely to contain parts of their holy grail. They were) Tj
T* ( methodical and highly strategic, piecing information together with) Tj
T* ( exquisite, almost forensic, skill. While the common rabble of other) Tj
T* ( hackers were thumping their heads against walls in brute-force attacks) Tj
T* ( on random machines, these hackers spent their time hunting for) Tj
T* ( strategic pressure points--the Achilles' heels of the computer) Tj
T* ( security community.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They had developed an informal hit list of machines, most of which) Tj
T* ( belonged to high-level computer security gurus. Finding one or two) Tj
T* ( early issues of Zardoz, Electron had combed through their postings) Tj
T* ( looking not just on the surface--for the security bugs--but also) Tj
T* ( paying careful attention to the names and addresses of the people) Tj
T* ( writing articles. Authors who appeared frequently in Zardoz, or had) Tj
T* ( something intelligent to say, went on the hit list. It was those) Tj
T* ( people who were most likely to keep copies of Deszip or an archive of) Tj
T* ( Zardoz on their machines.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron had searched across the world for information about Deszip) Tj
T* ( and DES \(Data Encryption Standard\), the original encryption program) Tj
T* ( later used in Deszip. He hunted through computers at the University of) Tj
T* ( New York, the US Naval Research Laboratories in Washington DC,) Tj
T* ( Helsinki University of Technology, Rutgers University in New Jersey,) Tj
T* ( Melbourne University and Tampere University in Finland, but the search) Tj
T* ( bore little fruit. He found a copy of CDES, a public domain encryption) Tj
T* ( program which used the DES algorithm, but not Deszip. CDES could be) Tj
T* ( used to encrypt files but not to crack passwords.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The two Australian hackers had, however, enjoyed a small taste of) Tj
T* ( Deszip. In 1989 they had broken into a computer at Dartmouth College) Tj
T* ( called Bear. They discovered Deszip carefully tucked away in a corner) Tj
T* ( of Bear and had spirited a copy of the program away to a safer machine) Tj
T* ( at another institution.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It turned out to be a hollow victory. That copy of Deszip had been) Tj
T* ( encrypted with Crypt, a program based on the German Enigma machine) Tj
T* ( used in World War II. Without the passphrase--the key to unlock the) Tj
ET
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T* ( encryption--it was impossible to read Deszip. All they could do was) Tj
T* ( stare, frustrated, at the file name Deszip labelling a treasure just) Tj
T* ( out of reach.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Undaunted, the hackers decided to keep the encrypted file just in case) Tj
T* ( they ever came across the passphrase somewhere--in an email letter,) Tj
T* ( for example--in one of the dozens of new computers they now hacked) Tj
T* ( regularly. Relabelling the encrypted Deszip file with a more innocuous) Tj
T* ( name, they stored the copy in a dark corner of another machine.) Tj
T* ( Thinking it wise to buy a little insurance as well, they gave a second) Tj
T* ( copy of the encrypted Deszip to Gandalf, who stored it on a machine in) Tj
T* ( the UK in case the Australians' copy disappeared unexpectedly.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In January 1990, Electron turned his attention to getting Zardoz.) Tj
T* ( After carefully reviewing an old copy of Zardoz, he had discovered a) Tj
T* ( system admin in Melbourne on the list. The subscriber could well have) Tj
T* ( the entire Zardoz archive on his machine, and that machine was so) Tj
T* ( close--less than half an hour's drive from Electron's home. All) Tj
T* ( Electron had to do was to break into the CSIRO.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, or) Tj
T* ( CSIRO, is a government owned and operated research body with many) Tj
T* ( offices around Australia. Electron only wanted to get into one: the) Tj
T* ( Division of Information Technology at 55 Barry Street, Carlton, just) Tj
T* ( around the corner from the University of Melbourne.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Rummaging through a Melbourne University computer, Electron had) Tj
T* ( already found one copy of the Zardoz archive, belonging to a system) Tj
T* ( admin. He gathered it up and quietly began downloading it to his) Tj
T* ( computer, but as his machine slowly siphoned off the Zardoz copy, his) Tj
T* ( link to the university abruptly went dead. The admin had discovered) Tj
T* ( the hacker and quickly killed the connection. All of which left) Tj
T* ( Electron back at square one--until he found another copy of Zardoz on) Tj
T* ( the CSIRO machine.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was nearly 3 a.m. on 1 February 1990, but Electron wasn't tired.) Tj
T* ( His head was buzzing. He had just successfully penetrated an account) Tj
T* ( called Worsley on the CSIRO computer called) Tj
T* ( DITMELA, using the sendmail bug. Electron assumed) Tj
T* ( DITMELA stood for Division of Information Technology, Melbourne,) Tj
T* ( computer `A'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron began sifting through Andrew Worsley's directories that day.) Tj
T* ( He knew Zardoz was in there somewhere, since he had seen it before.) Tj
T* ( After probing the computer, experimenting with different security) Tj
T* ( holes hoping one would let him inside, Electron managed to slip in) Tj
T* ( unnoticed. It was mid-afternoon, a bad time to hack a computer since) Tj
T* ( someone at work would likely spot the intruder before long. So) Tj
T* ( Electron told himself this was just a reconnaissance mission. Find out) Tj
T* ( if Zardoz was on the machine, then get out of there fast and come back) Tj
T* ( later--preferably in the middle of the night--to pull Zardoz out.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When he found a complete collection of Zardoz in Worsley's directory,) Tj
T* ( Electron was tempted to try a grab and run. The problem was that, with) Tj
T* ( his slow modem, he couldn't run very quickly. Downloading Zardoz would) Tj
T* ( take several hours. Quashing his overwhelming desire to reach out and) Tj
T* ( grab Zardoz then and there, he slipped out of the machine noiselessly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Early next morning, an excited and impatient Electron crept back into) Tj
T* ( DITMELA and headed straight for Worsley's directory. Zardoz was still) Tj
T* ( there. And a sweet irony. Electron was using a security bug he had) Tj
T* ( found on an early issue of Zardoz to break into the computer which) Tj
T* ( would surrender the entire archive to him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Getting Zardoz out of the CSIRO machine was going to be a little) Tj
T* ( difficult. It was a big archive and at 300 baud--30 characters per) Tj
T* ( second--Electron's modem would take five hours to siphon off an entire) Tj
T* ( copy. Using the CAT command, Electron made copies of all the Zardoz) Tj
T* ( issues and bundled them up into one 500 k file. He called the new file) Tj
T* ( .t and stored it in the temporary directory on DITMELA.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then he considered what to do next. He would mail the Zardoz bundle to) Tj
T* ( another account outside the CSIRO computer, for safe-keeping. But) Tj
T* ( after that he had to make a choice: try to download the thing himself) Tj
T* ( or hang up, call Phoenix and ask him to download it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Using his 2400 baud modem, Phoenix would be able to download the) Tj
T* ( Zardoz bundle eight times faster than Electron could. On the other) Tj
T* ( hand, Electron didn't particularly want to give Phoenix access to the) Tj
T* ( CSIRO machine. They had both been targeting the machine, but he hadn't) Tj
T* ( told Phoenix that he had actually managed to get in. It wasn't that he) Tj
T* ( planned on withholding Zardoz when he got it. Quite the contrary,) Tj
T* ( Electron wanted Phoenix to read the security file so they could bounce) Tj
T* ( ideas off each other. When it came to accounts, however, Phoenix had a) Tj
T* ( way of messing things up. He talked too much. He was simply not) Tj
T* ( discreet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While Electron considered his decision, his fingers kept working at) Tj
T* ( the keyboard. He typed quickly, mailing copies of the Zardoz bundle to) Tj
T* ( two hacked student accounts at Melbourne University. With the) Tj
T* ( passwords to both accounts, he could get in whenever he wanted and he) Tj
T* ( wasn't taking any chances with this precious cargo. Two accounts were) Tj
T* ( safer than one--a main account and a back-up in case someone changed) Tj
T* ( the password on the first one.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then, as the DITMELA machine was still in the process of mailing the) Tj
T* ( Zardoz bundle off to the back-up sites, Electron's connection suddenly) Tj
T* ( died.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The CSIRO machine had hung up on him, which probably meant one thing.) Tj
T* ( The admin had logged him off. Electron was furious. What the hell was) Tj
T* ( a system administrator doing on a computer at this hour? The admin was) Tj
T* ( supposed to be asleep! That's why Electron logged on when he did. He) Tj
T* ( had seen Zardoz on the CSIRO machine the day before but he had been so) Tj
T* ( patient refusing to touch it because the risk of discovery was too) Tj
T* ( great. And now this.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The only hope was to call Phoenix and get him to login to the) Tj
T* ( Melbourne Uni accounts to see if the mail had arrived safely. If so,) Tj
T* ( he could download it with his faster modem before the CSIRO admin had) Tj
T* ( time to warn the Melbourne Uni admin, who would change the passwords.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron got on the phone to Phoenix. They had long since stopped) Tj
T* ( caring about what time of day they rang each other. 10 p.m. 2 a.m.) Tj
T* ( 4.15 a.m. 6.45 a.m.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah.' Electron greeted Phoenix in the usual way.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( `Yup,' Phoenix responded.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron told Phoenix what happened and gave him the two accounts at) Tj
T* ( Melbourne University where he had mailed the Zardoz bundle.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix hung up and rang back a few minutes later. Both accounts were) Tj
T* ( dead. Someone from Melbourne University had gone in and changed the) Tj
T* ( passwords within 30 minutes of Electron being booted off the CSIRO) Tj
T* ( computer. Both hackers were disturbed by the implications of this) Tj
T* ( event. It meant someone--in fact probably several people--were onto) Tj
T* ( them. But their desperation to get Zardoz overcame their fear.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron had one more account on the CSIRO computer. He didn't want to) Tj
T* ( give it to Phoenix, but he didn't have a choice. Still, the whole) Tj
T* ( venture was filled with uncertainty. Who knew if the Zardoz bundle was) Tj
T* ( still there? Surely an admin who bothered to kick Electron out would) Tj
T* ( move Zardoz to somewhere inaccessible. There was, however, a single) Tj
T* ( chance.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Electron read off the password and username, he told Phoenix to) Tj
T* ( copy the Zardoz bundle to a few other machines on the Internet instead) Tj
T* ( of trying to download it to his own computer. It would be much) Tj
T* ( quicker, and the CSIRO admin wouldn't dare break into someone else's) Tj
T* ( computers to delete the copied file. Choosing overseas sites would) Tj
T* ( make it even harder for the admin to reach the admins of those) Tj
T* ( machines and warn them in time. Then, once Zardoz was safely tucked) Tj
T* ( away in a few back-up sites, Phoenix could download it over the) Tj
T* ( Internet from one of those with less risk of being booted off the) Tj
T* ( machine halfway through the process.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sitting at his home in Kelvin Grove, Thornbury, just two suburbs north) Tj
T* ( of the CSIRO machine, Ian Mathieson watched the hacker break into his) Tj
T* ( computer again. Awoken by a phone call at 2.30 a.m. telling him there) Tj
T* ( was a suspected hacker in his computer, Mathieson immediately logged) Tj
T* ( in to his work system, DITMELA, via his home computer and modem. The) Tj
T* ( call, from David Hornsby of the Melbourne University Computer Science) Tj
T* ( Department, was no false alarm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After watching the unknown hacker, who had logged in through a) Tj
T* ( Melbourne University machine terminal server, for about twenty) Tj
T* ( minutes, Mathieson booted the hacker off his system. Afterwards he) Tj
T* ( noticed that the DITMELA computer was still trying to execute a) Tj
T* ( command issued by the hacker. He looked a little closer, and) Tj
T* ( discovered DITMELA was trying to deliver mail to two Melbourne) Tj
T* ( University accounts.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The mail, however, hadn't been completely delivered. It was still) Tj
T* ( sitting in the mail spool, a temporary holding pen for undelivered) Tj
T* ( mail. Curious as to what the hacker would want so much from his) Tj
T* ( system, Mathieson moved the file into a subdirectory to look at it. He) Tj
T* ( was horrified to find the entire Zardoz archive, and he knew exactly) Tj
T* ( what it meant. These were no ordinary hackers--they were precision) Tj
T* ( fliers. Fortunately, Mathieson) Tj
T* ( consoled himself, he had stopped the mail before it had been sent out) Tj
T* ( and secured it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Unfortunately, however, Mathieson had missed Electron's original) Tj
T* ( file--the bundle of Zardoz copies. When Electron had mailed the file,) Tj
T* ( he had copied it, leaving the original intact. They were still sitting) Tj
T* ( on DITMELA under the unassuming name .t. Mailing a file didn't delete) Tj
ET
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T* ( it--the computer only sent a copy of the original. Mathieson was an) Tj
T* ( intelligent man, a medical doctor with a master's degree in computer) Tj
T* ( science, but he had forgotten to check the temporary directory, one of) Tj
T* ( the few places a hacker could store files on a Unix system if he) Tj
T* ( didn't have root privileges.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At exactly 3.30 a.m. Phoenix logged into DITMELA from the University) Tj
T* ( of Texas. He quickly looked in the temporary directory. The .t file) Tj
T* ( was there, just as Electron had said it would be. The hacker quickly) Tj
T* ( began transferring it back to the University of Texas.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He was feeling good. It looked like the Australians were going to get) Tj
T* ( the entire Zardoz collection after all. Everything was going extremely) Tj
T* ( well--until the transfer suddenly died. Phoenix had forgotten to check) Tj
T* ( that there was enough disk space available on the University of Texas) Tj
T* ( account to download the sizeable Zardoz bundle. Now, as he was logged) Tj
T* ( into a very hot machine, a machine where the admin could well be) Tj
T* ( watching his every move, he discovered there wasn't enough room for) Tj
T* ( the Zardoz file.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Aware that every second spent on-line to DITMELA posed a serious risk,) Tj
T* ( Phoenix logged off the CSIRO machine immediately. Still connected to) Tj
T* ( the Texas computer, he fiddled around with it, deleting other files) Tj
T* ( and making enough room to pull the whole 500 k Zardoz file across.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At 3.37 a.m. Phoenix entered DITMELA again. This time, he vowed,) Tj
T* ( nothing would go wrong. He started up the file transfer and waited.) Tj
T* ( Less than ten minutes later, he logged off the CSIRO computer and) Tj
T* ( nervously checked the University of Texas system. It was there.) Tj
T* ( Zardoz, in all its glory. And it was his! Phoenix was ecstatic.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He wasn't done yet and there was no time for complacency. Swiftly, he) Tj
T* ( began compressing and encrypting Zardoz. He) Tj
T* ( compressed it because a smaller file was less obvious on the Texas) Tj
T* ( machine and was faster to send to a back-up machine. He encrypted it) Tj
T* ( so no-one nosing around the file would be able to see what was in it.) Tj
T* ( He wasn't just worried about system admins; the Texas system was) Tj
T* ( riddled with hackers, in part because it was home to his friend,) Tj
T* ( Legion of Doom hacker Erik Bloodaxe, a) Tj
T* ( student at the university.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After Phoenix was satisfied Zardoz was safe, he rang Electron just) Tj
T* ( before 4 a.m. with the good news. By 8.15, Phoenix had downloaded) Tj
T* ( Zardoz from the Texas computer onto his own machine. By 1.15 p.m.,) Tj
T* ( Electron had downloaded it from Phoenix's machine to his own.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Zardoz had been a difficult conquest, but Deszip would prove to be) Tj
T* ( even more so. While dozens of security experts possessed complete) Tj
T* ( Zardoz archives, far fewer people had Deszip. And, at least) Tj
T* ( officially, all of them were in the US.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The US government banned the export of cryptography algorithms. To) Tj
T* ( send a copy of Deszip, or DES or indeed any other encryption program) Tj
T* ( outside the US was a crime. It was illegal because the US State) Tj
T* ( Department's Office of Defense Trade Controls considered any) Tj
T* ( encryption program to be a weapon. ITAR, the International Traffic in) Tj
T* ( Arms Regulations stemming from the US Arms Export Control Act 1977,) Tj
T* ( restricted publication of and trad in `defense articles'. It didn't) Tj
ET
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T* ( matter whether you flew to Europe with a disk in your pocket, or you) Tj
T* ( sent the material over the Internet. If you violated ITAR, you faced) Tj
T* ( the prospect of prison.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Occasionally, American computer programmers discreetly slipped copies) Tj
T* ( of encryption programs to specialists in their field outside the US.) Tj
T* ( Once the program was outside the US, it was fair game--there was) Tj
T* ( nothing US authorities could do about someone in Norway sending Deszip) Tj
T* ( to a colleague in Australia. But even so, the comp-sec and) Tj
T* ( cryptography communities outside the US still held programs such as) Tj
T* ( Deszip very tightly within their own inner sanctums.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( All of which meant that Electron and Phoenix would almost certainly) Tj
T* ( have to target a site in the US. Electron continued to compile a hit) Tj
T* ( list, based on the Zardoz mailing list, which he gave to Phoenix. The) Tj
T* ( two hackers then began searching the growing Internet for computers) Tj
T* ( belonging to the targets.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was an impressive hit list. Matthew Bishop, author of Deszip.) Tj
T* ( Russell Brand, of the Lawrence Livermore National Labs, a research) Tj
T* ( laboratory funded by the US Department of Energy. Dan Farmer, an) Tj
T* ( author of the computer program COPS, a popular security-testing) Tj
T* ( program which included a password cracking program. There were others.) Tj
T* ( And, at the top of the list, Eugene Spafford, or Spaf, as the hackers) Tj
T* ( called him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By 1990, the computer underground viewed Spaf not just as security) Tj
T* ( guru, but also as an anti-hacker zealot. Spaf was based at Purdue) Tj
T* ( University, a hotbed of computer security experts. Bishop had earned) Tj
T* ( his PhD at Purdue and Dan Farmer was still there. Spaf was also one of) Tj
T* ( the founders of usenet, the Internet newsgroups service. While working) Tj
T* ( as a computer scientist at the university, he had made a name for) Tj
T* ( himself by, among other things, writing a technical analysis of the) Tj
T* ( RTM worm. The worm, authored by Cornell University student Robert T.) Tj
T* ( Morris Jr in 1988, proved to be a boon for Spaf's career.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prior to the RTM worm, Spaf had been working in software engineering.) Tj
T* ( After the worm, he became a computer ethicist and a very public) Tj
T* ( spokesman for the conservatives in the computer security industry.) Tj
T* ( Spaf went on tour across the US, lecturing the public and the media on) Tj
T* ( worms, viruses and the ethics of hacking. During the Morris case,) Tj
T* ( hacking became a hot topic in the United States, and Spaf fed the) Tj
T* ( flames. When Judge Howard G. Munson refused to sentence Morris to) Tj
T* ( prison, instead ordering him to complete 400 hours community service,) Tj
T* ( pay a $10000 fine and submit to three years probation, Spaf publicly) Tj
T* ( railed against the decision. The media reported that he had called on) Tj
T* ( the computer industry to boycott any company which chose to employ) Tj
T* ( Robert T. Morris Jr.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Targeting Spaf therefore served a dual purpose for the Australian) Tj
T* ( hackers. He was undoubtedly a repository of treasures such as Deszip,) Tj
T* ( and he was also a tall poppy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One night, Electron and Phoenix decided to break into Spaf's machine) Tj
T* ( at Purdue to steal a copy of Deszip. Phoenix would do the actual) Tj
T* ( hacking, since he had the fast modem, but he would talk to Electron) Tj
T* ( simultaneously on the other phone line. Electron would guide him at) Tj
T* ( each step. That way, when Phoenix hit a snag, he wouldn't have to) Tj
T* ( retreat to regroup and risk discovery.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Both hackers had managed to break into another computer at Purdue,) Tj
T* ( called Medusa. But Spaf had a separate machine, Uther, which was) Tj
T* ( connected to Medusa.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix poked and prodded at Uther, trying to open a hole wide enough) Tj
T* ( for him to crawl through. At Electron's suggestion, he tried to use) Tj
T* ( the CHFN bug. The CHFN command lets users change the information) Tj
T* ( provided--such as their name, work address or office phone) Tj
T* ( number--when someone `fingers' their accounts. The bug had appeared in) Tj
T* ( one of the Zardoz files and Phoenix and Electron had already used it) Tj
T* ( to break into several other machines.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron wanted to use the CHFN bug because, if the attack was) Tj
T* ( successful, Phoenix would be able to make a root account for himself) Tj
T* ( on Spaf's machine. That would be the ultimate slap in the face to a) Tj
T* ( high-profile computer security guru.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But things weren't going well for Phoenix. The frustrated Australian) Tj
T* ( hacker kept telling Electron that the bug should work, but it) Tj
T* ( wouldn't, and he couldn't figure out why. The problem, Electron) Tj
T* ( finally concluded, was that Spaf's machine was a Sequent. The CHFN bug) Tj
T* ( depended on a particular Unix password file structure, but Sequents) Tj
T* ( used a different structure. It didn't help that Phoenix didn't know) Tj
T* ( that much about Sequents--they were one of Gandalf's specialties.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After a few exasperating hours struggling to make the CHFN bug work,) Tj
T* ( Phoenix gave up and turned to another security flaw suggested by) Tj
T* ( Electron: the FTP bug. Phoenix ran through the bug in his mind.) Tj
T* ( Normally, someone used FTP, or file transfer protocol, to transfer) Tj
T* ( files over a network, such as the Internet, from one computer to) Tj
T* ( another. FTPing to another machine was a bit like telnetting, but the) Tj
T* ( user didn't need a password to login and the commands he could execute) Tj
T* ( once in the other computer were usually very limited.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If it worked, the FTP bug would allow Phoenix to slip in an extra) Tj
T* ( command during the FTP login process. That command would force Spaf's) Tj
T* ( machine to allow Phoenix to login as anyone he wanted--and what he) Tj
T* ( wanted was to login as someone who had root privileges. The `root') Tj
T* ( account might be a little obvious) Tj
T* ( if anyone was watching, and it didn't always have remote) Tj
T* ( access anyway. So he chose `daemon', another commonly root-privileged) Tj
T* ( account, instead.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was a shot in the dark. Phoenix was fairly sure Spaf would have) Tj
T* ( secured his machine against such an obvious attack, but Electron urged) Tj
T* ( him to give it a try anyway. The FTP bug had been announced throughout) Tj
T* ( the computer security community long ago, appearing in an early issue) Tj
T* ( of Zardoz. Phoenix hesitated, but he had run out of ideas, and time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix typed:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( FTP -i uther.purdue.edu) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( quote user anonymous) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( quote cd ~daemon) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( quote pass anything) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The few seconds it took for his commands to course from his suburban) Tj
ET
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T* ( home in Melbourne and race deep into the Midwest felt like a lifetime.) Tj
T* ( He wanted Spaf's machine, wanted Deszip, and wanted this attack to) Tj
T* ( work. If he could just get Deszip, he felt the Australians would be) Tj
T* ( unstoppable.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Spaf's machine opened its door as politely as a doorman at the Ritz) Tj
T* ( Carlton. Phoenix smiled at his computer. He was in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was like being in Aladdin's cave. Phoenix just sat there, stunned) Tj
T* ( at the bounty which lay before him. It was his, all his. Spaf had) Tj
T* ( megabytes of security files in his directories. Source code for the) Tj
T* ( RTM Internet worm. Source code for the WANK worm. Everything. Phoenix) Tj
T* ( wanted to plunge his hands in each treasure chest and scoop out greedy) Tj
T* ( handfuls, but he resisted the urge. He had a more important--a more) Tj
T* ( strategic--mission to accomplish first.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He prowled through the directories, hunting everywhere for Deszip.) Tj
T* ( Like a burglar scouring the house for the family silver, he pawed) Tj
T* ( through directory after directory. Surely, Spaf had to have Deszip. If) Tj
T* ( anyone besides Matthew Bishop was going to have a copy, he would. And) Tj
T* ( finally, there it was. Deszip. Just waiting for Phoenix.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then Phoenix noticed something else. Another file. Curiosity got the) Tj
T* ( better of him and he zoomed in to have a quick look. This one) Tj
T* ( contained a passphrase--the passphrase. The phrase the Australians) Tj
T* ( needed to decrypt the original copy of Deszip they had stolen from the) Tj
T* ( Bear computer at Dartmouth three months earlier. Phoenix couldn't) Tj
T* ( believe the passphrase. It was so simple, so obvious. But he caught) Tj
T* ( himself. This was no time to cry over spilled milk. He had to get) Tj
T* ( Deszip out of the machine quickly, before anyone noticed he was there.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But as Phoenix began typing in commands, his screen appeared to freeze) Tj
T* ( up. He checked. It wasn't his computer. Something was wrong at the) Tj
T* ( other end. He was still logged into Spaf's machine. The connection) Tj
T* ( hadn't been killed. But when he typed commands, the computer in West) Tj
T* ( Lafayette, Indiana, didn't respond. Spaf's machine just sat there,) Tj
T* ( deaf and dumb.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix stared at his computer, trying to figure out what was) Tj
T* ( happening. Why wouldn't Spaf's machine answer? There were two) Tj
T* ( possibilities. Either the network--the connection between the first) Tj
T* ( machine he penetrated at Purdue and Spaf's own machine--had gone down) Tj
T* ( accidentally. Or someone had pulled the plug.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Why pull the plug? If they knew he was in there, why not just kick him) Tj
T* ( out of the machine? Better still, why not kick him out of Purdue all) Tj
T* ( together? Maybe they wanted to keep him on-line to trace which machine) Tj
T* ( he was coming from, eventually winding backwards from system to) Tj
T* ( system, following his trail.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was in a dilemma. If the connection had crashed by accident,) Tj
T* ( he wanted to stay put and wait for the network to come back up again.) Tj
T* ( The FTP hole in Spaf's machine was an incredible piece of luck.) Tj
T* ( Chances were that someone would find) Tj
T* ( evidence of his break-in after he left and plug it. On the) Tj
T* ( other hand, he didn't want the people at Purdue tracing his) Tj
T* ( connections.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He waited a few more minutes, trying to hedge his bets. Feeling nervy) Tj
T* ( as the extended silence emanating from Spaf's machine wore on, Phoenix) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( decided to jump. With the lost treasures of Aladdin's cave fading in) Tj
T* ( his mind's eye like a mirage, Phoenix killed his connection.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron and Phoenix talked on the phone, moodily contemplating their) Tj
T* ( losses. It was a blow, but Electron reminded himself that getting) Tj
T* ( Deszip was never going to be easy. At least they had the passphrase to) Tj
T* ( unlock the encrypted Deszip taken from Dartmouth.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Soon, however, they discovered a problem. There had to be one,) Tj
T* ( Electron thought. They couldn't just have something go off without a) Tj
T* ( hitch for a change. That would be too easy. The problem this time was) Tj
T* ( that when they went searching for their copy from Dartmouth, which had) Tj
T* ( been stored several months before, it had vanished. The Dartmouth) Tj
T* ( system admin must have deleted it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was maddening. The frustration was unbearable. Each time they had) Tj
T* ( Deszip just within their grasp, it slipped away and) Tj
T* ( disappeared. Yet each time they lost their grip, it only deepened) Tj
T* ( their desire to capture the elusive prize. Deszip was fast becoming an) Tj
T* ( all-consuming obsession for Phoenix and Electron.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Their one last hope was the second copy of the encrypted Dartmouth) Tj
T* ( Deszip file they had given to Gandalf, but that hope did not burn) Tj
T* ( brightly. After all, if the Australians' copy had been deleted, there) Tj
T* ( was every likelihood that the Brit's copy had suffered the same fate.) Tj
T* ( Gandalf's copy hadn't been stored on his own computer. He had put it) Tj
T* ( on some dark corner of a machine in Britain.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron and Phoenix logged onto Altos and waited for Pad or Gandalf) Tj
T* ( to show up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix typed .s for a list of who was on-line. He saw that Pad was) Tj
T* ( logged on:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( No Chan User) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 0 Guest) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 1 Phoenix) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 2 Pad) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Guest 0 was Electron. He usually logged on as Guest, partly because he) Tj
T* ( was so paranoid about being busted and because he believed operators) Tj
T* ( monitored his connections if they knew it was Electron logging in.) Tj
T* ( They seemed to take great joy in sniffing the password to his own) Tj
T* ( account on Altos. Then, when he had logged off, they logged in and) Tj
T* ( changed his password so he couldn't get back under the name Electron.) Tj
T* ( Nothing was more annoying. Phoenix typed, `Hey, Pad. How's it going?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad wrote back, `Feeny! Heya.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Do you and Gand still have that encrypted copy of Deszip we gave you) Tj
T* ( a few months ago?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Encrypted copy ... hmm. Thinking.' Pad paused. He and Gandalf hacked) Tj
T* ( dozens of computer systems regularly. Sometimes it was difficult to) Tj
T* ( recall just where they had stored things.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't know. It was on a system on) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( JANET,' Pad said. Britain's Joint Academic Network was the equivalent) Tj
T* ( of Australia's AARNET, an early Internet based largely on a backbone) Tj
T* ( of universities and research centres.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I can't remember which system it was on,' Pad continued.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If the Brits couldn't recall the institution, let alone the machine) Tj
T* ( where they had hidden Deszip, it was time to give up) Tj
T* ( all hope. JANET comprised hundreds, maybe thousands, of machines. It) Tj
T* ( was far too big a place to randomly hunt around for a file which) Tj
T* ( Gandalf would no doubt have tried to disguise in the first place.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `But the file was encrypted, and you didn't have the password,' Pad) Tj
T* ( wrote. `How come you want it?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Because we found the password. ' That was the) Tj
T* ( etiquette on Altos. If you wanted to suggest an action, you put it in) Tj
T* ( < >.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Gr8!' Pad answered.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That was Pad and Gandalf's on-line style. The number eight was the) Tj
T* ( British hackers' hallmark, since their group was called 8lgm, and they) Tj
T* ( used it instead of letters. Words like `great', `mate' and `later') Tj
T* ( became `gr8', `m8' and `l8r'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When people logged into Altos they could name a `place' of origin for) Tj
T* ( others to see. Of course, if you were logging from a country which had) Tj
T* ( laws against hacking, you wouldn't give your real country. You'd just) Tj
T* ( pick a place at random. Some people logged in from places like) Tj
T* ( Argentina, or Israel. Pad and Gandalf logged in from 8lgm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I'll try to find Gandalf and ask him if he knows where we stashed the) Tj
T* ( copy,' Pad wrote to Phoenix.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Good. Thanks.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While Phoenix and Electron waited on-line for Pad to return, Par) Tj
T* ( showed up on-line and joined their conversation. Par didn't know who) Tj
T* ( Guest 0 was, but Guest certainly knew who Par was. Time hadn't healed) Tj
T* ( Electron's old wounds when it came to Par. Electron didn't really) Tj
T* ( admit to himself the bad blood was still there over Theorem. He told) Tj
T* ( himself that he couldn't be bothered with Par, that Par was just a) Tj
T* ( phreaker, not a real hacker, that Par was lame.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix typed, `Hey, Par. How's it going?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Feenster!' Par replied. `What's happening?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Lots and lots.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par turned his attention to the mystery Guest 0. He didn't want to) Tj
T* ( discuss private things with someone who might be a security guy) Tj
T* ( hanging around the chat channel like a bad smell.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Guest, do you have a name?' Par asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah. It's "Guest--#0".') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You got any other names?') Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was a long pause.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron typed, `I guess not.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Any other names besides dickhead that is?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron sent a `whisper'--a private message--to Phoenix telling him) Tj
T* ( not to tell Par his identity.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `OK. Sure,' Phoenix whispered back. To show he would play along with) Tj
T* ( whatever Electron had in mind, Phoenix added a sideways smiley face at) Tj
T* ( the end: `:-\)'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par didn't know Electron and Phoenix were whispering to each other. He) Tj
T* ( was still waiting to find out the identity of Guest. `Well, speak up,) Tj
T* ( Guest. Figured out who you are yet?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron knew Par was on the run at the time. Indeed, Par had been on) Tj
T* ( the run from the US Secret Service for more than six months by the) Tj
T* ( beginning of 1990. He also knew Par was highly paranoid.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron took aim and fired.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hey, Par. You should eat more. You're looking underFED these days.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par was suddenly silent. Electron sat at his computer, quietly) Tj
T* ( laughing to himself, halfway across the world from Par. Well, he) Tj
T* ( thought, that ought to freak out Par a bit. Nothing like a subtle hint) Tj
T* ( at law enforcement to drive him nuts.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Did you see THAT?' Par whispered to Phoenix. `UnderFED. What did he) Tj
T* ( mean?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I dunno,' Phoenix whispered back. Then he forwarded a copy of Par's) Tj
T* ( private message on to Electron. He knew it would make him laugh.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Par was clearly worried. `Who the fuck are you?' he whispered to) Tj
T* ( Electron but Guest 0 didn't answer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( With growing anxiety, Par whispered to Phoenix, `Who IS this guy? Do) Tj
T* ( you know him?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix didn't answer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Because, well, it's weird. Didn't you see? FED was in caps. What the) Tj
T* ( fuck does that mean? Is he a fed? Is he trying to give me a message) Tj
T* ( from the feds?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sitting at his terminal, on the other side of Melbourne from Electron,) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was also laughing. He liked Par, but the American was an easy) Tj
T* ( target. Par had become so paranoid since he went on the run across the) Tj
T* ( US, and Electron knew just the right buttons to push.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I don't know,' Phoenix whispered to Par. `I'm sure he's not really a) Tj
T* ( fed.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, I am wondering about that comment,' Par whispered back.) Tj
T* ( `UnderFED. Hmm. Maybe he knows something. Maybe it's some kind of) Tj
T* ( warning. Shit, maybe the Secret Service knows where I am.') Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You think?' Phoenix whispered to Par. `It might be a warning of some) Tj
T* ( kind?' It was too funny.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Can you check his originating NUA?' Par wanted to know what network) Tj
T* ( address the mystery guest was coming from. It might give him a clue as) Tj
T* ( to the stranger's identity.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix could barely contain himself. He kept forwarding the private) Tj
T* ( messages on to Electron. Par was clearly becoming more agitated.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I wish he would just tell me WHO he was,' Par whispered. `Shit. It is) Tj
T* ( very fucking weird. UnderFED. It's spinning me out.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then Par logged off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron typed, `I guess Par had to go. ' Then, chuckling to) Tj
T* ( himself, he waited for news on Gandalf's Deszip copy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If Pad and Gandalf hadn't kept their copy of Deszip, the Australians) Tj
T* ( would be back to square one, beginning with a hunt for a system which) Tj
T* ( even had Deszip. It was a daunting task and by the time Pad and) Tj
T* ( Gandalf finally logged back into Altos, Phoenix and Electron had) Tj
T* ( become quite anxious.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `How did you go?' Phoenix asked. `Do you still have Deszip?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, at first I thought I had forgotten which system I left it on) Tj
T* ( ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron jumped in, `And then?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Then I remembered.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Good news?' Phoenix exclaimed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, no. Not exactly,' Gandalf said. `The account is dead.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron felt like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on him.) Tj
T* ( `Dead? Dead how?' he asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Dead like someone changed the password. Not sure why. I'll have to) Tj
T* ( re-hack the system to get to the file.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Fuck, this Deszip is frustrating,' Electron wrote.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `This is getting ridiculous,' Phoenix added.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I don't even know if the copy is still in there,' Gandalf replied. `I) Tj
T* ( hid it, but who knows? Been a few months. Admins might have deleted) Tj
T* ( it.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You want some help hacking the system again, Gand?' Phoenix asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Nah, It'll be easy. It's a Sequent. Just have to hang around until) Tj
T* ( the ops go home.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If an op was logged on and saw Gandalf hunting around, he or she might) Tj
T* ( kick Gandalf off and investigate the file which so interested the) Tj
T* ( hacker. Then they would lose Deszip all over again.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I hope we get it,' Pad chipped in. `Would be gr8!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Gr8 indeed. Feen, you've got the key to the encryption?' Gandalf) Tj
T* ( asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `How many characters is it?' It was Gandalf's subtle way of asking for) Tj
T* ( the key itself.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to give the British hackers) Tj
T* ( the key, but he was torn. He needed Pad and Gandalf's help to get the) Tj
T* ( copy of Deszip, if it was still around. But he knew Electron was) Tj
T* ( watching the conversation, and Electron was always so paranoid. He) Tj
T* ( disliked giving out any information, let alone giving it over Altos,) Tj
T* ( where the conversations were possibly logged by security people.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Should I give him the key?' Phoenix whispered to Electron.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gandalf was waiting. To fend him off, Phoenix said, `It's 9 chars.') Tj
T* ( Chars was short for characters. On Altos the rule was to abbreviate) Tj
T* ( where ever possible.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `What is the first char?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah. Tell him,' Electron whispered to Phoenix.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, the key is ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You're going to spew when you find out, Gand,' Electron interrupted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yes ... go on,' Gandalf said. `I am listening.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You won't believe it. The key is ... Dartmouth.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `WHAT???? WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Gandalf exclaimed.) Tj
T* ( `No!!! IT's NOT TRUE! Bollox! You are KIDDING?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The British hacker was thumping himself on the head. The name of the) Tj
T* ( frigging university! What a stupid password!) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix gave an on-line chuckle. `Hehe. Yeah. So hard to guess. We) Tj
T* ( could have had Deszip for all these months ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Jesus. I hope it's still on that JANET system,' Gandalf said. Now) Tj
T* ( that he actually had the password, finding the file became even more) Tj
T* ( urgent.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Pray. Pray. Pray,' Phoenix said. `Yeah, you should have seen the) Tj
T* ( licence text on Deszip--it was by NASA.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You've seen it? You saw Deszip's source code?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No,' Phoenix answered. `When I went back to the BEAR machine to check) Tj
T* ( if Deszip was still there, the program was gone. But the licence) Tj
T* ( agreement and other stuff was there. Should have read the licence ...) Tj
T* ( truly amazing. It basically went on and on about how the people who) Tj
T* ( wrote it didn't want people like us to get a hold of it. Hehe.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Electron was growing impatient. `Yeah. So, Gand, when you gonna go) Tj
T* ( check that JANET system?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Now. Fingers crossed, m8! See ya l8r ...' Then he was gone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The waiting was driving Electron nuts. He kept thinking about Deszip,) Tj
T* ( about how he could have had it months and months ago. That program was) Tj
T* ( such a prize. He was salivating at the thought of getting it after all) Tj
T* ( this time pursuing it around the globe, chasing its trail from system) Tj
T* ( to system, never quite getting close enough to grab it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Gandalf showed up again, Pad, Phoenix and Electron were all over) Tj
T* ( him in an instant.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `WE FUCKING GOT IT GUYS!!!!!' Gandalf exclaimed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Good job m8!' Pad said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `YES!' Electron added. `Have you decrypted it yet?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Not yet. Crypt isn't on that machine. We can either copy Crypt onto) Tj
T* ( that machine or copy the file onto another computer which already has) Tj
T* ( Crypt on it,' Gandalf said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Let's move it. Quick ... quick ... this damn thing has a habit of) Tj
T* ( disappearing,' Electron said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, this is the last copy ... the only one I got.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `OK. Think ... think ... where can we copy it to?' Electron said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Texas!' Gandalf wanted to copy it to a computer at the University of) Tj
T* ( Texas at Austin, home of the LOD hacker Erik Bloodaxe.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Irrepressible, Gandalf came on like a steam roller if he liked) Tj
T* ( you--and cut you down in a flash if he didn't. His rough-and-tumble) Tj
T* ( working-class humour particularly appealed to Electron. Gandalf seemed) Tj
T* ( able to zero in on the things which worried you most--something so) Tj
T* ( deep or serious it was often unsaid. Then he would blurt it out in) Tj
T* ( such crass, blunt terms you couldn't help laughing. It was his way of) Tj
T* ( being in your face in the friendliest possible manner.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah! Blame everything on Erik!' Phoenix joked. `No, seriously. That) Tj
T* ( place is crawling with security now, all after Erik. They are into) Tj
T* ( everything.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix had heard all about the security purge at the university from) Tj
T* ( Erik. The Australian called Erik all the time, mostly by charging the) Tj
T* ( calls to stolen AT&T cards. Erik hadn't been raided by the Secret) Tj
T* ( Service yet, but he had been tipped off and was expecting a visit any) Tj
T* ( day.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `It probably won't decrypt anyway,' Electron said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh, phuck off!' Gandalf shot back. `Come on! I need a site NOW!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Thinking ...' Phoenix said. `Gotta be some place with room--how big) Tj
T* ( is it?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `It's 900 k compressed--probably 3 meg when we uncompress it. Come on,) Tj
ET
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T* ( hurry up! How about a university?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Princeton, Yale could do either of those.' Electron suggested. `What) Tj
T* ( about MIT--you hacked an account there recently, Gand?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( All four hackers racked their minds for a safe haven. The world was) Tj
T* ( their oyster, as British and Australian hackers held a real-time) Tj
T* ( conversation in Germany about whether to hide their treasure in) Tj
T* ( Austin, Texas; Princeton, New Jersey; Boston, Massachusetts; or New) Tj
T* ( Haven, Connecticut.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `We only need somewhere to stash it for a little while, until we can) Tj
T* ( download it,' Gandalf said. `Got to be some machine where we've got) Tj
T* ( root. And it's got to have anon FTP.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anon FTP, or anonymous file transfer protocol, on a host machine would) Tj
T* ( allow Gandalf to shoot the file from his JANET machine across the) Tj
T* ( Internet into the host. Most importantly, Gandalf could do so without) Tj
T* ( an account on the target machine. He could simply login as) Tj
T* ( `anonymous', a method of access which had more limitations than simply) Tj
T* ( logging in with a normal account. He would, however, still be able to) Tj
T* ( upload the file.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `OK. OK, I have an idea,' Phoenix said. `Lemme go check) Tj
T* ( it out.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix dropped out of Altos and connected to the University of Texas.) Tj
T* ( The physical location of a site didn't matter. His head was spinning) Tj
T* ( and it was the only place he could think of. But he didn't try to) Tj
T* ( connect to Happy, the machine he often used which Erik had told him) Tj
T* ( about. He headed to one of the other university computers, called) Tj
T* ( Walt.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The network was overloaded. Phoenix was left dangling, waiting to) Tj
T* ( connect for minutes on end. The lines were congested. He logged back) Tj
T* ( into Altos and told Pad and Electron. Gandalf was nowhere to be seen.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Damn,' Electron said. Then, `OK, I might have an idea.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No, wait!' Phoenix cut in. `I just thought of a site! And I have root) Tj
T* ( too! But it's on NASA ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh that's OK. I'm sure they won't mind a bit. ') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I'll go make sure it's still OK. Back in a bit,' Phoenix typed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix jumped out of Altos and headed toward NASA. He telnetted into) Tj
T* ( a NASA computer called CSAB at the Langley Research Center in Hampton,) Tj
T* ( Virginia. He had been in and out of NASA quite a few times and had) Tj
T* ( recently made himself a root account on CSAB. First, he had to check) Tj
T* ( the account was still alive, then he had to make sure the system) Tj
T* ( administrator wasn't logged in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Whizzing past the official warning sign about unauthorised access in) Tj
T* ( US government computers on the login screen, Phoenix typed in his user) Tj
T* ( name and password.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It worked. He was in. And he had root privileges.) Tj
ET
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/F1 10 Tf
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12 TL
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He quickly looked around on the system. The administrator was on-line.) Tj
T* ( Damn.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix fled the NASA computer and sprinted back into Altos. Gandalf) Tj
T* ( was there, along with the other two, waiting for him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well?' Electron asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `OK. All right. The NASA machine will work. It has anon FTP. And I) Tj
T* ( still have root. We'll use that.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gandalf jumped in. `Hang on--does it have Crypt?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Argh! Forget to check. I think it must.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Better check it, m8!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, OK.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix felt exasperated, rushing around trying to find sites that) Tj
T* ( worked. He logged out of Altos and coursed his way back into the NASA) Tj
T* ( machine. The admin was still logged on, but Phoenix was running out of) Tj
T* ( time. He had to find out if the computer had Crypt on it. It did.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix rushed back to Altos. `Back again. We're in business.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yes!' Electron said, but he quickly jumped in with a word of warning.) Tj
T* ( `Don't say the exact machine at NASA or the account out loud. Whisper) Tj
T* ( it to Gandalf. I think the ops are listening in on my connection.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well,' Phoenix typed slowly, `there's only one problem. The admin is) Tj
T* ( logged on.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Arghhh!' Electron shouted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Just do it,' Pad said. `No time to worry.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix whispered the Internet IP address of the NASA machine to) Tj
T* ( Gandalf.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `OK, m8, I'll anon FTP it to NASA. I'll come back here and tell you) Tj
T* ( the new filename. Then you go in and decrypt it and uncompress the) Tj
T* ( file. W8 for me here.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Ten minutes later, Gandalf returned. `Mission accomplished. The file) Tj
T* ( is there!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Now, go go Pheeny!' Electron said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Gand, whisper the filename to me,' Phoenix said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `The file's called "d" and it's in the pub directory,' Gandalf) Tj
T* ( whispered.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `OK, folks. Here we go!' Phoenix said as he logged off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix dashed to the NASA computer, logged in and looked for the file) Tj
T* ( named `d'. He couldn't find it. He couldn't even find the pub) Tj
T* ( directory. He began hunting around the rest of the file system. Where) Tj
ET
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/F1 10 Tf
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12 TL
T* ( was the damn thing?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Uh oh. Phoenix noticed the system administrator, Sharon Beskenis, was) Tj
T* ( still logged in. She was connected from Phoebe, another NASA machine.) Tj
T* ( There was only one other user besides himself logged into the CSAB) Tj
T* ( machine, someone called Carrie. As if that wasn't bad enough, Phoenix) Tj
T* ( realised his username stood out a like a sore thumb. If the admin) Tj
T* ( looked at who was on-line she would see herself, Carrie and a user) Tj
T* ( called `friend', an account he had created for himself. How many) Tj
T* ( legitimate accounts on NASA computers had that name?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Worse, Phoenix noticed that he had forgotten to cover his login trail.) Tj
T* ( `Friend' was telnetting into the NASA computer from the University of) Tj
T* ( Texas. No, no, he thought, that would definitely have to go. He) Tj
T* ( disconnected from NASA, bounced back to the university and then logged) Tj
T* ( in to NASA again. Good grief. Now the damn NASA machine showed two) Tj
T* ( people logged in as `friend'. The computer hadn't properly killed his) Tj
T* ( previous login. Stress.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix tried frantically to clear out his first login by killing its) Tj
T* ( process number. The NASA computer responded that there was no such) Tj
T* ( process number. Increasingly nervous, Phoenix figured he must have) Tj
T* ( typed in the wrong number. Unhinged, he grabbed one of the other) Tj
T* ( process numbers and killed that.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Christ! That was the admin's process number. Phoenix had just) Tj
T* ( disconnected Sharon from her own machine. Things were not going well.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Now he was under serious pressure. He didn't dare logout, because) Tj
T* ( Sharon would no doubt find his `friend' account, kill it and close up) Tj
T* ( the security hole he had originally used to get in. Even if she didn't) Tj
T* ( find Deszip on her own machine, he might not be able to get back in) Tj
T* ( again to retrieve it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After another frenzied minute hunting around the machine, Phoenix) Tj
T* ( finally unearthed Gandalf's copy of Deszip. Now, the moment of truth.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He tried the passphrase. It worked! All he had to do) Tj
T* ( was uncompress Deszip and get it out of there. He typed, `uncompress) Tj
T* ( deszip.tar.z', but he didn't like how the NASA computer answered his) Tj
T* ( command:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( corrupt input) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Something was wrong, terribly wrong. The file appeared to be partially) Tj
T* ( destroyed. It was too painful a possibility to contemplate. Even if) Tj
T* ( only a small part of the main Deszip program had been damaged, none of) Tj
T* ( it would be useable.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Rubbing sweat from his palms, Phoenix hoped that maybe the file had) Tj
T* ( just been damaged as he attempted to uncompress it. He had kept the) Tj
T* ( original, so he went back to that and tried decrypting and) Tj
T* ( uncompressing it again. The NASA computer gave him the same ugly) Tj
T* ( response. Urgently, he tried yet again, but this time attempted to) Tj
T* ( uncompress the file in a different way. Same problem.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was at his wits' end. This was too much. The most he could) Tj
T* ( hope was that the file had somehow become corrupted in the transfer) Tj
T* ( from Gandalf's JANET machine. He logged out of NASA and returned to) Tj
T* ( Altos. The other three were waiting impatiently for him.) Tj
ET
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/F1 10 Tf
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12 TL
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron, still logged in as the mystery Guest, leaped in. `Did it) Tj
T* ( work?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No. Decrypted OK, but the file was corrupted when I tried to) Tj
T* ( decompress it.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Arghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!' Gandalf exclaimed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Fuckfuckfuck,' Electron wrote. `Doomed to fail.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Sigh Sigh Sigh,' Pad typed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gandalf and Electron quizzed Phoenix in detail about each command he) Tj
T* ( had used, but in the end there seemed only one hope. Move a copy of) Tj
T* ( the decryption program to the JANET computer in the UK and try) Tj
T* ( decrypting and uncompressing Deszip there.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix gave Gandalf a copy of Crypt and the British hacker went to) Tj
T* ( work on the JANET computer. A little later he rendezvoused on Altos) Tj
T* ( again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was beside himself by this stage. `Gand! Work???') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, I decrypted it using the program you gave me ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `And And And???' Electron was practically jumping out of his seat at) Tj
T* ( his computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Tried to uncompress it. It was taking a LONG time. Kept) Tj
T* ( going--expanded to 8 megabytes.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh NO. Bad Bad Bad,' Phoenix moaned. `Should only be 3 meg. If it's) Tj
T* ( making a million files, it's fucked.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Christ,' Pad typed. `Too painful.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I got the makefile--licensing agreement text etc., but the Deszip) Tj
T* ( program itself was corrupted,' Gandalf concluded.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I don't understand what is wrong with it. ' Phoenix wrote.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `AgonyAgonyAgony,' Electron groaned. `It'll never never never work.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Can we get a copy anywhere else?' Gandalf asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `That FTP bug has been fixed at Purdue,' Pad answered. `Can't use that) Tj
T* ( to get in again.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Disappointment permeated the atmosphere on Altos.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There were, of course, other possible repositories for Deszip. Phoenix) Tj
T* ( and Electron had already penetrated a computer at Lawrence Livermore) Tj
T* ( National Labs in California. They had procured root on the gamm5) Tj
T* ( machine and planned to use it as a launchpad for penetrating security) Tj
T* ( expert Russell Brand's computer at LLNL, called Wuthel. They were sure) Tj
T* ( Brand had Deszip on his computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It would require a good deal of effort, and possibly another) Tj
T* ( roller-coaster ride of desire, expectation and possible) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( disappointment. For now, the four hackers resolved to sign off,) Tj
T* ( licking their wounds at their defeat in the quest for Deszip.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, I'm off. See you l8r,' Pad said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, me too,' Electron added.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, OK. L8r, m8s!' Gandalf said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then, just for fun, he added in typical Gandalf style, `See you in) Tj
T* ( jail!') Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Chapter 6 -- Page 1 The New York Times) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Read about it) Tj
T* ( Just another incredible scene) Tj
T* ( There's no doubt about it ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( -- from `Read About It', on 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 by Midnight) Tj
T* ( Oil) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad had an important warning for the Australian hackers: the computer) Tj
T* ( security community was closing in on them. It was the end of February) Tj
T* ( 1990, not long after Phoenix and Electron had captured Zardoz and just) Tj
T* ( missed out on Deszip. Pad didn't scream or shout the warning, that) Tj
T* ( wasn't his style. But Electron took in the import of the warning loud) Tj
T* ( and clear.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Feen, they know you did over Spaf's machine,' Pad told Phoenix. `They) Tj
T* ( know it's been you in other systems also. They've got your handle.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Eugene Spafford was the kind of computer security expert who loses a) Tj
T* ( lot of face when a hacker gets into his machine, and a wounded bull is) Tj
T* ( a dangerous enemy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The security people had been able to connect and link up a series of) Tj
T* ( break-ins with the hacker who called himself Phoenix because his style) Tj
T* ( was so distinctive. For example, whenever he was creating a root) Tj
T* ( shell--root access--for himself, he would always save it in the same) Tj
T* ( filename and in the same location on the) Tj
T* ( computer. In some instances, he even created accounts called `Phoenix') Tj
T* ( for himself. It was this consistency of style which had made things so) Tj
T* ( much easier for admins to trace his movements.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In his typical understated fashion, Pad suggested a change of style.) Tj
T* ( And maybe, he added, it wasn't such a bad idea for the Australians to) Tj
T* ( tone down their activities a bit. The undercurrent of the message was) Tj
T* ( serious.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `They said that some security people had contacted Australian law) Tj
T* ( enforcement, who were supposed to be "dealing with it",' Pad said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Do they know my real name?' Phoenix asked, worried. Electron was also) Tj
T* ( watching this conversation with some concern.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( `Don't know. Got it from Shatter. He's not always reliable,) Tj
T* ( but ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad was trying to soften the news by playing down Shatter's importance) Tj
T* ( as a source. He didn't trust his fellow British hacker but Shatter had) Tj
T* ( some good, if mysterious, connections. An enigmatic figure who seemed) Tj
T* ( to keep one foot in the computer underworld and the other in the) Tj
T* ( upright computer security industry, Shatter leaked information to Pad) Tj
T* ( and Gandalf, and occasionally to the Australians.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While the two British hackers sometimes discounted Shatter's advice,) Tj
T* ( they also took the time to talk to him. Once, Electron had intercepted) Tj
T* ( email showing Pengo had turned to Shatter for advice about his) Tj
T* ( situation after the raid in Germany. With some spare time prior to his) Tj
T* ( trial, Pengo asked Shatter whether it was safe to travel to the US on) Tj
T* ( a summer holiday in 1989. Shatter asked for Pengo's birthdate and) Tj
T* ( other details. Then he returned with an unequivocal answer: Under no) Tj
T* ( circumstances was Pengo to travel to the US.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Subsequently, it was reported that officials in the US Justice) Tj
T* ( Department had been examining ways to secretly coax Pengo onto) Tj
T* ( American soil, where they could seize him. They would then force him) Tj
T* ( to face trial in their own courts.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Had Shatter known this? Or had he just told Pengo not to go to the US) Tj
T* ( because it was good commonsense? No-one was quite sure, but people) Tj
T* ( took note of what Shatter told them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Shatter definitely got the info right about Spaf's machine. 100%) Tj
T* ( right,' Pad continued. `He knew exactly how you hacked it. I couldn't) Tj
T* ( believe it. Be careful if you're still hacking m8, especially on the) Tj
T* ( Inet.' The `Inet' was shorthand for the Internet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Altos hackers went quiet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `It's not just you,' Pad tried to reassure the Australians. `Two) Tj
T* ( security people from the US are coming to the UK to try and find out) Tj
T* ( something about someone named Gandalf. Oh, and Gand's mate, who might) Tj
T* ( be called Patrick.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad had indeed based his handle on the name Patrick, or Paddy, but) Tj
T* ( that wasn't his real name. No intelligent hacker would use his real) Tj
T* ( name for his handle. Paddy was the name of one of his favourite) Tj
T* ( university lecturers, an Irishman who laughed a good deal. Like Par's) Tj
T* ( name, Pad's handle had coincidentally echoed a second meaning when the) Tj
T* ( British hacker moved into exploring X.25 networks. An X.25 PAD is a) Tj
T* ( packet assembler disassembler, the interface between the X.25 network) Tj
T* ( and a modem or terminal server. Similarly, Gandalf, while being first) Tj
T* ( and foremost the wizard from The Lord of The Rings, also happened to) Tj
T* ( be a terminal server brand name.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Despite the gravity of the news that the security community was) Tj
T* ( closing the net around them, none of the hackers lost their wicked) Tj
T* ( sense of humour.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You know,' Pad went on, `Spaf was out of the country when his machine) Tj
T* ( got hacked.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Was he? Where?' asked Gandalf, who had just joined the conversation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( `In Europe.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron couldn't resist. `Where was Spaf, Gandalf asks as he hears a) Tj
T* ( knock on his door ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Haha,' Gandalf laughed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `' Electron went on, hamming it up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh! Hello there, Mr Spafford,' Gandalf typed, playing along.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hello, I'm Gene and I'm mean!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Alone in their separate homes on different corners of the globe, the) Tj
T* ( four hackers chuckled to themselves.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hello, and is this the man called Patrick?' Pad jumped in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, Mr Spafford, it seems you're a right fucking idiot for not) Tj
T* ( patching your FTP!' Gandalf proclaimed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Not to mention the CHFN bug--saved by a Sequent! Or you'd be very) Tj
T* ( fucking embarrassed,' Phoenix added.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was laughing too, but he was a little nervous about Pad's) Tj
T* ( warning and he turned the conversation back to a serious note.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `So, Pad, what else did Shatter tell you?' Phoenix asked) Tj
T* ( anxiously.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Not much. Except that some of the security investigations might be) Tj
T* ( partly because of UCB.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( UCB was the University of California at Berkeley. Phoenix had been) Tj
T* ( visiting machines at both Berkeley and LLNL so much recently that the) Tj
T* ( admins seemed to have not only noticed him, but they had pinpointed) Tj
T* ( his handle. One day he had telnetted into dewey.soe.berkeley.edu--the) Tj
T* ( Dewey machine as it was known--and had been startled to find the) Tj
T* ( following message of the day staring him in the face:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix,) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Get out of Dewey NOW!) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Also, do not use any of the `soe' machines.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Thank you,) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Daniel Berger) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix did a double take when he saw this public warning. Having been) Tj
T* ( in and out of the system so many times, he just zoomed past the words) Tj
T* ( on the login screen. Then, in a delayed reaction, he realised the) Tj
T* ( login message was addressed to him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Ignoring the warning, he proceeded to get root on the Berkeley machine) Tj
T* ( and look through Berger's files. Then he sat back, thinking about the) Tj
T* ( best way to deal with the problem. Finally, he decided to send the) Tj
T* ( admin a note saying he was leaving the system for good.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( Within days, Phoenix was back in the Dewey machine, weaving in and out) Tj
T* ( of it as if nothing had happened. After all, he had broken into the) Tj
T* ( system, and managed to get root through his own wit. He had earned the) Tj
T* ( right to be in the computer. He might send the admin a note to put him) Tj
T* ( at ease, but Phoenix wasn't going to give up accessing Berkeley's) Tj
T* ( computers just because it upset Daniel Berger.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `See,' Pad continued, `I think the UCB people kept stuff on their) Tj
T* ( systems that wasn't supposed to be there. Secret things.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Classified military material wasn't supposed to be stored) Tj
T* ( on non-classified network computers. However, Pad guessed that) Tj
T* ( sometimes researchers broke rules and took short cuts because they) Tj
T* ( were busy thinking about their research and not the security) Tj
T* ( implications.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Some of the stuff might have been illegal,' Pad told his captive) Tj
T* ( audience. `And then they find out some of you guys have been in there) Tj
T* ( ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Shit,' Phoenix said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `So, well, if it APPEARED like someone was inside trying to get at) Tj
T* ( those secrets ...' Pad paused. `Then you can guess what happened. It) Tj
T* ( seems they really want to get whoever was inside their machines.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was momentary silence while the other hackers digested all that) Tj
T* ( Pad had told them. As a personality on Altos, Pad remained ever so) Tj
T* ( slightly withdrawn from the other hackers, even the Australians whom) Tj
T* ( he considered mates. This reserved quality gave his warning a certain) Tj
T* ( sobriety, which seeped into the very fabric of Altos that day.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Eventually, Electron responded to Pad's warning by typing a comment) Tj
T* ( directed at Phoenix: `I told you talking to security guys is nothing) Tj
T* ( but trouble.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It irritated Electron more and more that Phoenix felt compelled to) Tj
T* ( talk to white hats in the security industry. In Electron's view,) Tj
T* ( drawing attention to yourself was just a bad idea all around and he) Tj
T* ( was increasingly annoyed at watching Phoenix feed his ego. He had made) Tj
T* ( veiled references to Phoenix's bragging on Altos many times, saying) Tj
T* ( things like `I wish people wouldn't talk to security guys'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix responded to Electron on-line somewhat piously. `Well, I will) Tj
T* ( never talk to security guys seriously again.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron had heard it all before. It was like listening to an) Tj
T* ( alcoholic swear he would never touch another drink. Bidding the others) Tj
T* ( goodbye, Electron logged off. He didn't care to listen to Phoenix any) Tj
T* ( more.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Others did, however. Hundreds of kilometres away, in a special room) Tj
T* ( secreted away inside a bland building in Canberra, Sergeant Michael) Tj
T* ( Costello and Constable William Apro had been methodically capturing) Tj
T* ( each and every electronic boast as it poured from Phoenix's phone. The) Tj
T* ( two officers recorded the data transmissions passing in and out of his) Tj
T* ( computer. They then played this recording into their own modem and) Tj
T* ( computer and created a text file they could save and use as evidence) Tj
T* ( in court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( Both police officers had travelled north from Melbourne, where they) Tj
T* ( worked with the AFP's Computer Crime Unit. Settling into their) Tj
T* ( temporary desks with their PC and laptop, the officers began their) Tj
T* ( secret eavesdropping work on 1 February 1990.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was the first time the AFP had done a datatap. They were happy to) Tj
T* ( bide their time, to methodically record Phoenix hacking into Berkeley,) Tj
T* ( into Texas, into NASA, into a dozen computers around the world. The) Tj
T* ( phone tap warrant was good for 60 days, which was more than enough) Tj
T* ( time to secrete away a mountain of damning evidence against the) Tj
T* ( egotistical Realm hacker. Time was on their side.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The officers worked the Operation Dabble job in shifts. Constable Apro) Tj
T* ( arrived at the Telecommunications Intelligence Branch of the AFP at 8) Tj
T* ( p.m. Precisely ten hours later, at 6 the next morning, Sergeant) Tj
T* ( Costello relieved Apro, who knocked off for a good sleep. Apro) Tj
T* ( returned again at 8 p.m. to begin the night shift.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They were there all the time. Twenty-four hours a day. Seven days a) Tj
T* ( week. Waiting and listening.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was too funny. Erik Bloodaxe in Austin, Texas, couldn't stop) Tj
T* ( laughing. In Melbourne, Phoenix's side hurt from laughing so much.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix loved to talk on the phone. He often called Erik, sometimes) Tj
T* ( every day, and they spoke for ages. Phoenix didn't worry about cost;) Tj
T* ( he wasn't paying for it. The call would appear on some poor sod's bill) Tj
T* ( and he could sort it out with the phone company.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sometimes Erik worried a little about whether Phoenix wasn't going to) Tj
T* ( get himself in a jam making all these international calls. Not that he) Tj
T* ( didn't like talking to the Australian; it was a hoot. Still, the) Tj
T* ( concern sat there, unsettled, in the back of his mind. A few times he) Tj
T* ( asked Phoenix about it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No prob. Hey, AT&T isn't an Australian company,' Phoenix would say.) Tj
T* ( `They can't do anything to me.' And Erik had let it rest at that.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For his part, Erik didn't dare call Phoenix, especially not since his) Tj
T* ( little visit from the US Secret Service. On 1 March 1990, they burst) Tj
T* ( into his home, with guns drawn, in a dawn raid. The agents searched) Tj
T* ( everywhere, tearing the student house apart, but they didn't find) Tj
T* ( anything incriminating. They did take Erik's $59 keyboard terminal) Tj
T* ( with its chintzy little 300 baud modem, but they didn't get his main) Tj
T* ( computer, because Erik knew they were coming.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Secret Service had subpoenaed his academic records, and Erik had) Tj
T* ( heard about it before the raid. So when the Secret Service arrived,) Tj
T* ( Erik's stuff just wasn't there. It hadn't been there for a few weeks,) Tj
T* ( but for Erik, they had been hard weeks. The hacker found himself) Tj
T* ( suffering withdrawal symptoms, so he bought the cheapest home computer) Tj
T* ( and modem he could find to tide him over.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That equipment was the only computer gear the Secret Service) Tj
T* ( discovered, and they were not happy special agents. But without) Tj
T* ( evidence, their hands were tied. No charges were laid.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Still, Erik thought he was probably being watched. The last thing he) Tj
T* ( wanted was for Phoenix's number to appear on his home phone bill. So) Tj
T* ( he let Phoenix call him, which the Australian did all the time. They) Tj
ET
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T* ( often talked for hours when Erik was working nights. It was a slack) Tj
T* ( job, just changing the back-up tapes on various computers and making) Tj
T* ( sure they didn't jam. Perfect for a student. It left Erik hours of) Tj
T* ( free time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Erik frequently reminded Phoenix that his phone was probably tapped,) Tj
T* ( but Phoenix just laughed. `Yeah, well don't worry about it, mate. What) Tj
T* ( are they going to do? Come and get me?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After Erik put a hold on his own hacking activities, he lived) Tj
T* ( vicariously, listening to Phoenix's exploits. The Australian called) Tj
T* ( him with a technical problem or an interesting system, and then they) Tj
T* ( discussed various strategies for getting into the machine. However,) Tj
T* ( unlike Electron's talks with Phoenix, conversations with Erik weren't) Tj
T* ( only about hacking. They chatted about life, about what Australia was) Tj
T* ( like, about girls, about what was in the newspaper that day. It was) Tj
T* ( easy to talk to Erik. He had a big ego, like most hackers, but it was) Tj
T* ( inoffensive, largely couched in his self-effacing humour.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix often made Erik laugh. Like the time he got Clifford Stoll, an) Tj
T* ( astronomer, who wrote The Cuckoo's Egg. The book described his pursuit) Tj
T* ( of a German hacker who had broken into the computer system Stoll) Tj
T* ( managed at Lawrence Berkeley Labs near San Francisco. The hacker had) Tj
T* ( been part of the same hacking ring as Pengo. Stoll took a hard line on) Tj
T* ( hacking, a position which did not win him popularity in the) Tj
T* ( underground. Both Phoenix and Erik had read Stoll's book, and one day) Tj
T* ( they were sitting around chatting about it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You know, it's really stupid that Cliffy put his email address in his) Tj
T* ( book,' Phoenix said. `Hmm, why don't I go check?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sure enough, Phoenix called Erik back about a day later. `Well, I got) Tj
T* ( root on Cliffy's machine,' he began slowly, then he burst out) Tj
T* ( laughing. `And I changed the message of the day. Now it reads, "It) Tj
T* ( looks like the Cuckoo's got egg on his face"!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was uproariously funny. Stoll, the most famous hacker-catcher in) Tj
T* ( the world, had been japed! It was the funniest thing Erik had heard in) Tj
T* ( weeks.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But it was not nearly so amusing as what Erik told Phoenix later about) Tj
T* ( the New York Times. The paper had published an article on 19 March) Tj
T* ( suggesting a hacker had written some sort of virus or worm which was) Tj
T* ( breaking into dozens of computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Listen to this,' Erik had said, reading Phoenix the lead paragraph,) Tj
T* ( `"A computer intruder has written a program that has entered dozens of) Tj
T* ( computers in a nationwide network in recent weeks, automatically) Tj
T* ( stealing electronic documents containing users' passwords and erasing) Tj
T* ( files to help conceal itself."') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was falling off his chair he was laughing so hard. A program?) Tj
T* ( Which was automatically doing this? No. It wasn't an automated) Tj
T* ( program, it was the Australians! It was the Realm hackers! God, this) Tj
T* ( was funny.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Wait--there's more! It says, "Another rogue program shows a) Tj
T* ( widespread vulnerability". I laughed my ass off,' Erik said,) Tj
T* ( struggling to get the words out.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( `A rogue program! Who wrote the article?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `A John Markoff,' Erik answered, wiping his eyes. `I called him up.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You did? What did you say?' Phoenix tried to gather himself together.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `"John," I said, "You know that article you wrote on page 12 of the) Tj
T* ( Times? It's wrong! There's no rogue program attacking the Internet.") Tj
T* ( He goes, "What is it then?" "It's not a virus or a worm," I said.) Tj
T* ( "It's PEOPLE."') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Erik started laughing uncontrollably again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Then Markoff sounds really stunned, and he goes, "People?" And I) Tj
T* ( said, "Yeah, people." Then he said, "How do you know?" And I said,) Tj
T* ( "Because, John, I KNOW."') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix erupted in laughter again. The Times reporter obviously had) Tj
T* ( worms on his mind, since the author of the famous Internet worm,) Tj
T* ( Robert T. Morris Jr, had just been tried and convicted in the US. He) Tj
T* ( was due to be sentenced in May.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( US investigators had tracked the hacker's connections, looping through) Tj
T* ( site after site in a burrowing manner which they assumed belonged to a) Tj
T* ( worm. The idea of penetrating so many sites all in such a short time) Tj
T* ( clearly baffled the investigators, who concluded it must be a program) Tj
T* ( rather than human beings launching the attacks.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah,' Erik continued, `And then Markoff said, "Can you get me to) Tj
T* ( talk to them?" And I said I'd see what I could do.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah,' Phoenix said. `Go tell him, yes. Yeah, I gotta talk to this) Tj
T* ( idiot. I'll set him straight.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Page one, the New York Times, 21 March 1990: `Caller Says he Broke) Tj
T* ( Computers' Barriers to Taunt the Experts', by John Markoff.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( True, the article was below the crease--on the bottom half of the) Tj
T* ( page--but at least it was in column 1, the place a reader turns to) Tj
T* ( first.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was chuffed. He'd made the front page of the New York Times.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `The man identified himself only as an Australian named Dave,' the) Tj
T* ( article said. Phoenix chuckled softly. Dave Lissek was the pseudonym) Tj
T* ( he'd used. Of course, he wasn't the only one using the name Dave. When) Tj
T* ( Erik first met the Australians on Altos, he marvelled at how they all) Tj
T* ( called themselves Dave. I'm Dave, he's Dave, we're all Dave, they told) Tj
T* ( him. It was just easier that way, they said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The article revealed that `Dave' had attacked Spaf's and Stoll's) Tj
T* ( machines, and that the Smithsonian Astronomical Observatory at Harvard) Tj
T* ( University--where Stoll now worked--had pulled its computers off the) Tj
T* ( Internet as a result of the break in. Markoff had even included the) Tj
T* ( `egg on his face' story Phoenix had described to him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix laughed at how well he had thumbed his nose at Cliffy Stoll.) Tj
T* ( This article would show him up all right. It felt so good, seeing) Tj
T* ( himself in print that way. He did that. That was him there in black in) Tj
T* ( white, for all the world to see. He had outsmarted the world's best) Tj
ET
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T* ( known hacker-catcher, and he had smeared the insult across the front) Tj
T* ( page of the most prestigious newspaper in America.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And Markoff reported that he had been in Spaf's system too! Phoenix) Tj
T* ( glowed happily. Better still, Markoff had quoted `Dave' on the) Tj
T* ( subject: `The caller said ... "It used to be the security guys chasing) Tj
T* ( the hackers. Now it's the hackers chasing the security people."') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The article went on: `Among the institutions believed to have been) Tj
T* ( penetrated by the intruder are the Los Alamos National Laboratories,) Tj
T* ( Harvard, Digital Equipment Corporation, Boston University and the) Tj
T* ( University of Texas.' Yes, that list sounded about right. Well, for) Tj
T* ( the Australians as a group anyway. Even if Phoenix hadn't masterminded) Tj
T* ( or even penetrated some of those himself, he was happy to take the) Tj
T* ( credit in the Times.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This was a red-letter day for Phoenix.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron, however, was furious. How could Phoenix be so stupid? He) Tj
T* ( knew that Phoenix had an ego, that he talked too much, and that his) Tj
T* ( tendency to brag had grown worse over time, fed by the skyrocketing) Tj
T* ( success of the Australian hackers. Electron knew all of that, but he) Tj
T* ( still couldn't quite believe that Phoenix had gone so far as to strut) Tj
T* ( and preen like a show pony for the New York Times.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To think that he had associated with Phoenix. Electron was disgusted.) Tj
T* ( He had never trusted Phoenix--a caution now proved wise. But he had) Tj
T* ( spent hours with him on the phone, with most of the information) Tj
T* ( flowing in one direction. But not only did Phoenix show no discretion) Tj
T* ( at all in dealing with the paper, he bragged about doing things that) Tj
T* ( Electron had done! If Phoenix had to talk--and clearly he should have) Tj
T* ( kept his mouth shut--he should have at least been honest about the) Tj
T* ( systems for which he could claim credit.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron had tried with Phoenix. Electron had suggested that he stop) Tj
T* ( talking to the security guys. He had continually urged caution and) Tj
T* ( discretion. He had even subtly withdrawn each time Phoenix suggested) Tj
T* ( one of his hair-brained schemes to show off to a security bigwig.) Tj
T* ( Electron had done this in the hope that Phoenix might get the hint.) Tj
T* ( Maybe, if Phoenix couldn't hear someone shouting advice at him, he) Tj
T* ( might at least listen to someone whispering it. But no. Phoenix was) Tj
T* ( far too thick for that.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Internet--indeed, all hacking--was out of bounds for weeks, if not) Tj
T* ( months. There was no chance the Australian authorities would let a) Tj
T* ( front-page story in the Times go by un-heeded. The Americans would be) Tj
T* ( all over them. In one selfish act of hubris, Phoenix had ruined the) Tj
T* ( party for everyone else.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron unplugged his modem and took it to his father. During exams,) Tj
T* ( he had often asked his father to hide it. He didn't have the) Tj
T* ( self-discipline needed to stay away on his own and there was no other) Tj
T* ( way Electron could keep himself from jacking in--plugging his modem) Tj
T* ( into the wall. His father had become an expert at hiding the device,) Tj
T* ( but Electron usually still managed to find it after a few days,) Tj
T* ( tearing the house apart until he emerged, triumphant, with the modem) Tj
T* ( held high above his head. Even when his father began hiding the modem) Tj
T* ( outside the family home it would only postpone the inevitable.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This time, however, Electron vowed he would stop hacking until the) Tj
ET
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T* ( fallout had cleared--he had to. So he handed the modem to his father,) Tj
T* ( with strict instructions, and then tried to distract himself by) Tj
T* ( cleaning up his hard drive and disks. His hacking files had to go too.) Tj
T* ( So much damning evidence of his activities. He deleted some files and) Tj
T* ( took others on disks to store at a friend's house. Deleting files) Tj
T* ( caused Electron considerable pain, but there was no other way. Phoenix) Tj
T* ( had backed him into a corner.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Brimming with excitement, Phoenix rang Electron on a sunny March) Tj
T* ( afternoon.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Guess what?' Phoenix was jumping around like an eager puppy at the) Tj
T* ( other end of the line. `We made the nightly news right across the US!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Uhuh,' Electron responded, unimpressed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `This is not a joke!' We were on cable news all day too. I called Erik) Tj
T* ( and he told me.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Mmm,' Electron said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You know, we did a lot of things right. Like Harvard. We got into) Tj
T* ( every system at Harvard. It was a good move. Harvard gave us the fame) Tj
T* ( we needed.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron couldn't believe what he was hearing. He didn't need any) Tj
T* ( fame--and he certainly didn't need to be busted. The) Tj
T* ( conversation--like Phoenix himself--was really beginning to annoy him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hey, and they know your name,' Phoenix said coyly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That got a reaction. Electron gulped his anger.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Haha! Just joshing!' Phoenix practically shouted. `Don't worry! They) Tj
T* ( didn't really mention anyone's name.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Good,' Electron answered curtly. His irritation stewed) Tj
T* ( quietly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `So, do you reckon we'll make the cover of Time or Newsweek?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Good grief! Didn't Phoenix ever give up? As if it wasn't enough to) Tj
T* ( appear on the 6 o'clock national news in a country crawling with) Tj
T* ( over-zealous law enforcement agencies. Or to make the New York Times.) Tj
T* ( He had to have the weeklies too.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was revelling in his own publicity. He felt like he was on top) Tj
T* ( of the world, and he wanted to shout about it. Electron had felt the) Tj
T* ( same wave of excitement from hacking many high-profile targets and) Tj
T* ( matching wits with the best, but he was happy to stand on the peak by) Tj
T* ( himself, or with people like Pad and Gandalf, and enjoy the view) Tj
T* ( quietly. He was happy to know he had been the best on the frontier of) Tj
T* ( a computer underground which was fresh, experimental and, most of all,) Tj
T* ( international. He didn't need to call up newspaper reporters or gloat) Tj
T* ( about it in Clifford Stoll's face.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, what do you reckon?' Phoenix asked impatiently.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No,' Electron answered.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( `No? You don't think we will?' Phoenix sounded disappointed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, I'll demand it!' Phoenix said laughing, `Fuck it, we want the) Tj
T* ( cover of Newsweek, nothing less.' Then, more seriously, `I'm trying to) Tj
T* ( work out what really big target would clinch it for us.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, OK, whatever,' Electron replied, distancing himself again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But Electron was thinking, Phoenix, you are a fool. Didn't he see the) Tj
T* ( warning signs? Pad's warning, all the busts in the US, reports that) Tj
T* ( the Americans were hunting down the Brits. As a result of these news) Tj
T* ( reports of which Phoenix was so proud, bosses across the world would) Tj
T* ( be calling their computer managers into their offices and breathing) Tj
T* ( down their necks about their own computer security.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The brazen hackers had deeply offended the computer security industry,) Tj
T* ( spurring it into action. In the process, some in the industry had also) Tj
T* ( seen an opportunity to raise its own public profile. The security) Tj
T* ( experts had talked to the law enforcement agencies, who were now) Tj
T* ( clearly sharing information across national borders and closing in) Tj
T* ( fast. The conspirators in) Tj
T* ( the global electronic village were at the point of maximum) Tj
T* ( overreach.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `We could hack Spaf again,' Phoenix volunteered.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `The general public couldn't give a fuck about Eugene Spafford,') Tj
T* ( Electron said, trying to dampen Phoenix's bizarre enthusiasm. He was) Tj
T* ( all for thumbing one's nose at authority, but this was not the way to) Tj
T* ( do it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `It'd be so funny in court, though. The lawyer would call Spaf and) Tj
T* ( say, "So, Mr Spafford, is it true that you are a world-renowned) Tj
T* ( computer security expert?" When he said, "Yes" I'd jump up and go, "I) Tj
T* ( object, your honour, this guy doesn't know jackshit, 'cause I hacked) Tj
T* ( his machine and it was a breeze!"') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Mmm.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hey, if we don't get busted in the next two weeks, it will be a) Tj
T* ( miracle,' Phoenix continued happily.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I hope not.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `This is a lot of fun!' Phoenix shouted sarcastically. `We're gonna) Tj
T* ( get busted! We're gonna get busted!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron's jaw fell to the ground. Phoenix was mad. Only a lunatic) Tj
T* ( would behave this way. Mumbling something about how tired he was,) Tj
T* ( Electron said goodbye and hung up.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( At 5.50 a.m. on 2 April 1990, Electron dragged himself out of bed and) Tj
T* ( made his way to the bathroom. Part way through his visit, the light) Tj
T* ( suddenly went out.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( How strange. Electron opened his eyes wide in the early morning) Tj
T* ( dimness. He returned to his bedroom and began putting on some jeans) Tj
T* ( before going to investigate the problem.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Suddenly, two men in street clothes yanked his window open and jumped) Tj
T* ( through into the room shouting, `GET DOWN ON THE FLOOR!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Who were these people? Half-naked, Electron stood in the middle of his) Tj
T* ( room, stunned and immobile. He had suspected the police might pay him) Tj
T* ( a visit, but didn't they normally wear uniforms? Didn't they announce) Tj
T* ( themselves?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The two men grabbed Electron, threw him face down onto the floor and) Tj
T* ( pulled his arms behind his back. They jammed handcuffs on his) Tj
T* ( wrists--hard--cutting his skin. Then someone kicked him in the) Tj
T* ( stomach.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Are there any firearms in the house?' one of the men asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron couldn't answer because he couldn't breathe. The kick had) Tj
T* ( winded him. He felt someone pull him up from the floor and prop him in) Tj
T* ( a chair. Lights went on everywhere and he could see six or seven) Tj
T* ( people moving around in the hallway. They must have come into the) Tj
T* ( house another way. The ones in the hallway were all wearing bibs with) Tj
T* ( three large letters emblazoned across the front: AFP.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As Electron slowly gathered his wits, he realised why the cops had) Tj
T* ( asked about firearms. He had once joked to Phoenix on the phone about) Tj
T* ( how he was practising with his dad's .22 for when the feds came) Tj
T* ( around. Obviously the feds had been tapping his phone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While his father talked with one of the officers in the other room and) Tj
T* ( read the warrant, Electron saw the police pack up his computer) Tj
T* ( gear--worth some $3000--and carry it out of the house. The only thing) Tj
T* ( they didn't discover was the modem. His father had become so expert at) Tj
T* ( hiding it that not even the Australian Federal Police could find it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Several other officers began searching Electron's bedroom, which was) Tj
T* ( no small feat, given the state it was in. The floor was covered in a) Tj
T* ( thick layer of junk. Half crumpled music band posters, lots of) Tj
T* ( scribbled notes with passwords and NUAs, pens, T-shirts both clean and) Tj
T* ( dirty, jeans, sneakers, accounting books, cassettes, magazines, the) Tj
T* ( occasional dirty cup. By the time the police had sifted through it all) Tj
T* ( the room was tidier than when they started.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As they moved into another room at the end of the raid, Electron bent) Tj
T* ( down to pick up one of his posters which had fallen onto the floor. It) Tj
T* ( was a Police Drug Identification Chart--a gift from a friend's) Tj
T* ( father--and there, smack dab in the middle, was a genuine AFP) Tj
T* ( footprint. Now it was a collector's item. Electron smiled to himself) Tj
T* ( and carefully tucked the poster away.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When he went out to the living room, he saw a policemen holding a) Tj
T* ( couple of shovels and he wanted to laugh again. Electron had also once) Tj
T* ( told Phoenix that all his sensitive hacking disks were buried in the) Tj
T* ( backyard. Now the police were going to dig it up in search of) Tj
T* ( something which had been destroyed a few days before. It was too) Tj
T* ( funny.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The police found little evidence of Electron's hacking at his house,) Tj
T* ( but that didn't really matter. They already had almost everything they) Tj
T* ( needed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Later that morning, the police put the 20-year-old Electron into an) Tj
T* ( unmarked car and drove him to the AFP's imposing-looking headquarters) Tj
T* ( at 383 Latrobe Street for questioning.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the afternoon, when Electron had a break from the endless) Tj
T* ( questions, he walked out to the hallway. The boyish-faced Phoenix,) Tj
T* ( aged eighteen, and fellow Realm member Nom, 21, were walking with) Tj
T* ( police at the other end of the hall. They were too far apart to talk,) Tj
T* ( but Electron smiled. Nom looked worried. Phoenix looked annoyed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron was too intimidated to insist on having a lawyer. What was) Tj
T* ( the point in asking for one anyway? It was clear the police had) Tj
T* ( information they could only have obtained from) Tj
T* ( tapping his phone. They also showed him logs taken from Melbourne) Tj
T* ( University, which had been traced back to his phone. Electron figured) Tj
T* ( the game was up, so he might as well tell them the whole story--or at) Tj
T* ( least as much of it as he had told Phoenix on the phone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Two officers conducted the interview. The lead interviewer was) Tj
T* ( Detective Constable Glenn Proebstl, which seemed to be pronounced) Tj
T* ( `probe stool'--an unfortunate name, Electron thought. Proebstl was) Tj
T* ( accompanied by Constable Natasha Elliott, who occasionally added a few) Tj
T* ( questions at the end of various interview topics but otherwise kept to) Tj
T* ( herself. Although he had decided to answer their questions truthfully,) Tj
T* ( Electron thought that neither of them knew much about computers and) Tj
T* ( found himself struggling to understand what they were trying to ask.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron had to begin with the basics. He explained what the FINGER) Tj
T* ( command was--how you could type `finger' followed by a username, and) Tj
T* ( then the computer would provide basic information about the user's) Tj
T* ( name and other details.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `So, what is the methodology behind it ... finger ... then, it's) Tj
T* ( normally ... what is the normal command after that to try and get the) Tj
T* ( password out?' Constable Elliott finally completed her convoluted) Tj
T* ( attempt at a question.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The only problem was that Electron had no idea what she was talking) Tj
T* ( about.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, um, I mean there is none. I mean you don't use finger like that) Tj
T* ( ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Right. OK,' Constable Elliott got down to business. `Well, have you) Tj
T* ( ever used that system before?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Uhm, which system?' Electron had been explaining commands for so long) Tj
T* ( he had forgotten if they were still talking about how he hacked the) Tj
T* ( Lawrence Livermore computer or some other site.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `The finger ... The finger system?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Huh? Electron wasn't quite sure how to answer that question. There was) Tj
T* ( no such thing. Finger was a command, not a computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Uh, yes,' he said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The interview went the same way, jolting awkwardly through computer) Tj
T* ( technology which he understood far better than either officer.) Tj
T* ( Finally, at the end of a long day, Detective Constable Proebstl asked) Tj
ET
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T* ( Electron:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `In your own words, tell me what fascination you find with accessing) Tj
T* ( computers overseas?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, basically, it's not for any kind of personal gain or anything,') Tj
T* ( Electron said slowly. It was a surprisingly difficult question to) Tj
T* ( answer. Not because he didn't know the answer, but because it was a) Tj
T* ( difficult answer to describe to someone who had never hacked a) Tj
T* ( computer. `It's just the kick of getting in to a system. I mean, once) Tj
T* ( you are in, you very often get bored and even though you can still) Tj
T* ( access the system, you may never call back.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Because once you've gotten in, it's a challenge over and you don't) Tj
T* ( really care much about it,' Electron continued, struggling. `It's a) Tj
T* ( hot challenge thing, trying to do things that other people are also) Tj
T* ( trying to do but can't.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `So, I mean, I guess it is a sort of ego thing. It's knowing that you) Tj
T* ( can do stuff that other people cannot, and well, it is the) Tj
T* ( challenge and the ego boost you get from doing something well ...) Tj
T* ( where other people try and fail.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A few more questions and the day-long interview finally) Tj
T* ( finished. The police then took Electron to the Fitzroy police) Tj
T* ( station. He guessed it was the nearest location with a JP they could) Tj
T* ( find willing to process a bail application at that hour.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In front of the ugly brick building, Electron noticed a small group of) Tj
T* ( people gathered on the footpath in the dusky light. As the police car) Tj
T* ( pulled up, the group swung into a frenzy of activity, fidgeting in) Tj
T* ( over-the-shoulder briefcases, pulling out notebooks and pens, scooping) Tj
T* ( up big microphones with fuzzy shag covers, turning on TV camera) Tj
T* ( lights.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Oh NO! Electron wasn't prepared for this at all.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Flanked by police, Electron stepped out of the police car and blinked) Tj
T* ( in the glare of photographers' camera flashes and TV camera) Tj
T* ( searchlights. The hacker tried to ignore them, walking as briskly as) Tj
T* ( his captors would allow. Sound recordists and reporters tagged beside) Tj
T* ( him, keeping pace, while the TV cameramen and photographers weaved in) Tj
T* ( front of him. Finally he escaped into the safety of the watchhouse.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( First there was paperwork, followed by the visit to the JP. While) Tj
T* ( shuffling through his papers, the JP gave Electron a big speech about) Tj
T* ( how defendants often claimed to have been beaten by the police.) Tj
T* ( Sitting in the dingy meeting room, Electron felt somewhat confused by) Tj
T* ( the purpose of this tangential commentary. However, the JP's next) Tj
T* ( question cleared things up: `Have you had any problems with your) Tj
T* ( treatment by the police which you would like to record at this time?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron thought about the brutal kick he had suffered while lying on) Tj
T* ( his bedroom floor, then he looked up and found Detective Constable) Tj
T* ( Proebstl staring him in the eye. A slight smile passed across the) Tj
T* ( detective's face.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No,' Electron answered.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The JP proceeded to launch into another speech which Electron found) Tj
ET
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T* ( even stranger. There was another defendant in the lock-up at the) Tj
T* ( moment, a dangerous criminal who had a disease the JP knew about, and) Tj
T* ( the JP could decide to lock Electron up with that criminal instead of) Tj
T* ( granting him bail.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Was this meant to be helpful warning, or just the gratification of) Tj
T* ( some kind of sadistic tendency? Electron was baffled but he didn't) Tj
T* ( have to consider the situation for long. The JP granted bail.) Tj
T* ( Electron's father came to the watchhouse, collected his son and signed) Tj
T* ( the papers for a $1000 surety--to be paid if Electron skipped town.) Tj
T* ( That night Electron watched as his name appeared on the late night) Tj
T* ( news.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At home over the next few weeks, Electron struggled to come to terms) Tj
T* ( with the fact that he would have to give up hacking forever. He still) Tj
T* ( had his modem, but no computer. Even if he had a machine, he realised) Tj
T* ( it was far too dangerous to even contemplate hacking again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( So he took up drugs instead.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron's father waited until the very last days of his illness, in) Tj
T* ( March 1991, before he went into hospital. He knew that once he went) Tj
T* ( in, he would not be coming out again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was so much to do before that trip, so many things to organise.) Tj
T* ( The house, the life insurance paperwork, the will, the funeral, the) Tj
T* ( instructions for the family friend who promised to watch over both) Tj
T* ( children when he was gone. And, of course, the children themselves.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He looked at his two children and worried. Despite their ages of 21) Tj
T* ( and 19, they were in many ways still very sheltered. He realised that) Tj
T* ( Electron's anti-establishment attitude and his sister's emotional) Tj
T* ( remoteness would remain unresolved difficulties at the time of his) Tj
T* ( death. As the cancer progressed, Electron's father tried to tell both) Tj
T* ( children how much he cared for them. He might have been somewhat) Tj
T* ( emotionally remote himself in the past, but with so little time left,) Tj
T* ( he wanted to set the record straight.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On the issue of Electron's problems with the police, however,) Tj
T* ( Electron's father maintained a hands-off approach. Electron had only) Tj
T* ( talked to his father about his hacking exploits occasionally, usually) Tj
T* ( when he had achieved what he considered to be a very noteworthy hack.) Tj
T* ( His father's view was always the same. Hacking is illegal, he told his) Tj
T* ( son, and the police will probably eventually catch you. Then you will) Tj
T* ( have to deal with the problem yourself. He didn't lecture his son, or) Tj
T* ( forbid Electron from hacking. On this issue he considered his son old) Tj
T* ( enough to make his own choices and live with the consequences.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( True to his word, Electron's father had shown little sympathy for his) Tj
T* ( son's legal predicament after the police raid. He remained neutral on) Tj
T* ( the subject, saying only, `I told you something like this would happen) Tj
T* ( and now it is your responsibility'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron's hacking case progressed slowly over the year, as did his) Tj
T* ( university accounting studies. In March 1991, he faced committal) Tj
T* ( proceedings and had to decide whether to fight his committal.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He faced fifteen charges, most of which were for obtaining) Tj
ET
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T* ( unauthorised access to computers in the US and Australia. A few were) Tj
T* ( aggravated offences, for obtaining access to data of a commercial) Tj
T* ( nature. On one count each, the DPP \(the Office of the Commonwealth) Tj
T* ( Director of Public Prosecutions\) said he altered and erased data.) Tj
T* ( Those two counts were the result of his inserting backdoors for) Tj
T* ( himself, not because he did damage to any files. The evidence was) Tj
T* ( reasonably strong: telephone intercepts and datataps on Phoenix's) Tj
T* ( phone which showed him talking to Electron about hacking; logs of) Tj
T* ( Electron's own sessions in Melbourne University's systems which were) Tj
T* ( traced back to his home phone; and Electron's own confession to the) Tj
T* ( police.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This was the first major computer hacking case in Australia under the) Tj
T* ( new legislation. It was a test case--the test case for computer) Tj
T* ( hacking in Australia--and the DPP was going in hard. The case had) Tj
T* ( generated seventeen volumes of evidence, totalling some 25000 pages,) Tj
T* ( and Crown prosecutor Lisa West planned to call up to twenty expert) Tj
T* ( witnesses from Australia, Europe and the US.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Those witnesses had some tales to tell about the Australian hackers,) Tj
T* ( who had caused havoc in systems around the world. Phoenix had) Tj
T* ( accidentally deleted a Texas-based company's inventory of assets--the) Tj
T* ( only copy in existence according to Execucom Systems Corporation. The) Tj
T* ( hackers had also baffled security personnel at the US Naval Research) Tj
T* ( Labs. They had bragged to the New York Times. And they forced NASA to) Tj
T* ( cut off its computer network for 24 hours. ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( AFP Detective Sergeant Ken Day had flown halfway around the world to) Tj
T* ( obtain a witness statement from none other than NASA Langley computer) Tj
T* ( manager Sharon Beskenis--the admin Phoenix had accidentally kicked off) Tj
T* ( her own system when he was trying to get Deszip. Beskenis had been) Tj
T* ( more than happy to oblige and on 24 July 1990 she signed a statement) Tj
T* ( in Virginia, witnessed by Day. Her statement said that, as a result of) Tj
T* ( the hackers' intrusion, `the entire NASA computer system was) Tj
T* ( disconnected from any external communications with the rest of the) Tj
T* ( world' for about 24 hours on 22 February 1990.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In short, Electron thought, there didn't seem to be much chance of) Tj
T* ( winning at the committal hearing. Nom seemed to feel the same way. He) Tj
T* ( faced two counts, both `knowingly concerned' with Phoenix obtaining) Tj
T* ( unauthorised access. One was for NASA Langley, the other for) Tj
T* ( CSIRO--the Zardoz file. Nom didn't fight his committal either,) Tj
T* ( although Legal Aid's refusal) Tj
T* ( to fund a lawyer for the procedure no doubt weighed in his) Tj
T* ( decision.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 6 March 1991, Magistrate Robert Langton committed Electron and Nom) Tj
T* ( to stand trial in the Victorian County Court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix, however, didn't agree with his fellow hackers' point of view.) Tj
T* ( With financial help from his family, he had decided to fight his) Tj
T* ( committal. He wasn't going to hand this case to the prosecution on a) Tj
T* ( silver platter, and they would have to fight him every step of the) Tj
T* ( way, dragging him forward from proceeding to proceeding. His) Tj
T* ( barrister, Felicity Hampel, argued the court should throw out 47 of) Tj
T* ( the 48 charges against her client on jurisdictional grounds. All but) Tj
T* ( one charge--breaking into the CSIRO machine in order to steal) Tj
T* ( Zardoz--related to hacking activities outside Australia. How could an) Tj
T* ( Australian court claim jurisdiction over a hacked computer in Texas?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Privately, Phoenix worried more about being extradited to the US than) Tj
T* ( dealing with the Australian courts, but publicly he was going into the) Tj
T* ( committal with all guns blazing. It was a test case in many ways; not) Tj
T* ( only the first major hacking case in Australia but also the first time) Tj
T* ( a hacker had fought Australian committal proceedings for computer) Tj
T* ( crimes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The prosecution agreed to drop one of the 48 counts, noting it was a) Tj
T* ( duplicate charge, but the backdown was a pyrrhic victory for Phoenix.) Tj
T* ( After a two-day committal hearing, Magistrate John Wilkinson decided) Tj
T* ( Hampel's jurisdictional argument didn't hold water and on 14 August) Tj
T* ( 1991 he committed Phoenix to stand trial in the County Court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By the day of Electron's committal, in March, Electron's father had) Tj
T* ( begun his final decline. The bowel cancer created a roller-coaster of) Tj
T* ( good and bad days, but soon there were only bad days, and they were) Tj
T* ( getting worse. On the last day of March, the doctors told him that it) Tj
T* ( was finally time to make the trip to hospital. He stubbornly refused) Tj
T* ( to go, fighting their advice, questioning their authority. They) Tj
T* ( quietly urged him again. He protested. Finally, they insisted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron and his sister stayed with their father for hours that day,) Tj
T* ( and the following one. Their father had other visitors to keep his) Tj
T* ( spirits up, including his brother who fervently beseeched him to) Tj
T* ( accept Jesus Christ as his personal saviour before he died. That way,) Tj
T* ( he wouldn't burn in hell. Electron looked at his uncle, disbelieving.) Tj
T* ( He couldn't believe his father was having to put up with such crap on) Tj
T* ( his deathbed. Still, Electron chose to be discreet. Apart from an) Tj
T* ( occasional rolling of the eyes, he kept his peace at his father's) Tj
T* ( bedside.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Perhaps, however, the fervent words did some good, for as Electron's) Tj
T* ( father spoke about the funeral arrangements, he made a strange slip of) Tj
T* ( the tongue. He said `wedding' instead of funeral, then paused,) Tj
T* ( realising his mistake. Glancing slowly down at the intricate braided) Tj
T* ( silver wedding band still on his finger, he smiled frailly and said,) Tj
T* ( `I suppose, in a way, it will be like a wedding'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron and his sister went to hospital every day for four days, to) Tj
T* ( sit by their father's bed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At 6 a.m. on the fifth day, the telephone rang. It was the family) Tj
T* ( friend their father had asked to watch over them. Their father's life) Tj
T* ( signs were very, very weak, fluttering on the edge of death.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Electron and his sister arrived at the hospital, the nurse's face) Tj
T* ( said everything. They were too late. Their father had died ten minutes) Tj
T* ( before they arrived. Electron broke down and wept. He hugged his) Tj
T* ( sister, who, for a brief moment, seemed almost reachable. Driving them) Tj
T* ( back to the house, the family friend stopped and bought them an) Tj
T* ( answering machine.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You'll need this when everyone starts calling in,' she told them.) Tj
T* ( `You might not want to talk to anyone for a while.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the months after his bust in 1990 Electron began smoking marijuana) Tj
T* ( regularly. At first, as with many other university students, it was a) Tj
T* ( social thing. Some friends dropped by, they happened to have a few) Tj
T* ( joints, and so everybody went out for a night on the town. When he was) Tj
T* ( in serious hacking mode, he never smoked. A clear head was much too) Tj
ET
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T* ( important. Besides, the high he got from hacking was a hundred times) Tj
T* ( better than anything dope could ever do for him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Phoenix appeared on the front page of the New York Times,) Tj
T* ( Electron gave up hacking. And even if he had been tempted to return to) Tj
T* ( it, he didn't have anything to hack with after the police took his) Tj
T* ( only computer. Electron found himself casting around for something to) Tj
T* ( distract him from his father's deteriorating condition and the void) Tj
T* ( left by giving up hacking. His accounting studies didn't quite fit the) Tj
T* ( bill. They had always seemed empty, but never more so than now.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Smoking pot filled the void. So did tripping. Filled it very nicely.) Tj
T* ( Besides, he told himself, it's harder to get caught smoking dope in) Tj
T* ( your friends' houses than hacking in your own. The habit grew) Tj
T* ( gradually. Soon, he was smoking dope at home. New friends began coming) Tj
T* ( around, and they seemed to have drugs with them all the time--not just) Tj
T* ( occasionally, and not just for fun.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron and his sister had been left the family home and enough money) Tj
T* ( to give them a modest income. Electron began spending this money on) Tj
T* ( his new-found hobby. A couple of Electron's new friends moved into the) Tj
T* ( house for a few months. His sister didn't like them dealing drugs out) Tj
T* ( of the place, but Electron didn't care what was happening around him.) Tj
T* ( He just sat in his room, listening to his stereo, smoking dope,) Tj
T* ( dropping acid and watching the walls.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The headphones blocked out everyone in the house, and, more) Tj
T* ( importantly, what was going on inside Electron's own head. Billy) Tj
T* ( Bragg. Faith No More. Cosmic Psychos. Celibate Rifles. Jane's) Tj
T* ( Addiction. The Sex Pistols. The Ramones. Music gave Electron a) Tj
T* ( pinpoint, a figurative dot of light on his forehead where he could) Tj
T* ( focus his mind. Blot out the increasingly strange thoughts creeping) Tj
T* ( through his consciousness.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His father was alive. He was sure of it. He knew it, like he knew the) Tj
T* ( sun would rise tomorrow. Yet he had seen his father lying, dead, in) Tj
T* ( the hospital bed. It didn't make sense.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( So he took another hit from the bong, floated in slow motion to his) Tj
T* ( bed, lay down, carefully slid the earphones over his head, closed his) Tj
T* ( eyes and tried to concentrate on what the Red Hot Chilli Peppers were) Tj
T* ( saying instead. When that wasn't enough, he ventured down the hallway,) Tj
T* ( down to his new friends--the friends with the acid tabs. Then, eight) Tj
T* ( more hours without having to worry about the strange thoughts.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Soon people began acting strangely too. They would tell Electron) Tj
T* ( things, but he had trouble understanding them. Pulling a milk carton) Tj
T* ( from the fridge and sniffing it, Electron's sister might say, `Milk's) Tj
T* ( gone off'. But Electron wasn't sure what she meant. He would look at) Tj
T* ( her warily. Maybe she was trying to tell him something else, about) Tj
T* ( spiders. Milking spiders for venom.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When thoughts like these wafted through Electron's mind, they) Tj
T* ( disturbed him, lingering like a sour smell. So he floated back to the) Tj
T* ( safety of his room and listened to songs by Henry Rollins.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After several months in this cloudy state of limbo, Electron awoke one) Tj
T* ( day to find the Crisis Assessment Team--a mobile psychiatric team--in) Tj
T* ( his bedroom. They asked him questions, then they tried to feed him) Tj
T* ( little blue tablets. Electron didn't want to take the tablets. Were) Tj
ET
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T* ( little blue pills placebos? He was sure they were. Or maybe they were) Tj
T* ( something more sinister.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally, the CAT workers convinced Electron to take the Stelazine) Tj
T* ( tablet. But when they left, terrifying things began to happen.) Tj
T* ( Electron's eyes rolled uncontrollably to the back of his head. His) Tj
T* ( head twisted to the left. His mouth dropped open, very wide. Try as he) Tj
T* ( might, he couldn't shut it, any more than he could turn his head) Tj
T* ( straight. Electron saw himself in the mirror and he panicked. He) Tj
T* ( looked like a character out of a horror) Tj
T* ( picture.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His new house-mates reacted to this strange new behaviour by trying to) Tj
T* ( psychoanalyse Electron, which was less than helpful. They discussed) Tj
T* ( him as if he wasn't even present. He felt like a ghost and, agitated) Tj
T* ( and confused, he began telling his friends that he was going to kill) Tj
T* ( himself. Someone called the CAT team again. This time they refused to) Tj
T* ( leave unless he would guarantee not to attempt suicide.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron refused. So they had him committed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Inside the locked psychiatric ward of Plenty Hospital \(now known as) Tj
T* ( NEMPS\), Electron believed that, although he had gone crazy, he wasn't) Tj
T* ( really in a hospital psychiatric ward. The place was just supposed to) Tj
T* ( look like one. His father had set it) Tj
T* ( all up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron refused to believe anything that anyone told him. It was all) Tj
T* ( lies. They said one thing, but always meant another.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He had proof. Electron read a list of patients' names on the wall and) Tj
T* ( found one called Tanas. That name had a special meaning. It was an) Tj
T* ( anagram for the word `Santa'. But Santa Claus was a myth, so the name) Tj
T* ( Tanas appearing on the hospital list proved to him that he shouldn't) Tj
T* ( listen to anything anyone told him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron ate his meals mostly in silence, trying to ignore the) Tj
T* ( voluntary and involuntary patients who shared the dining hall. One) Tj
T* ( lunchtime, a stranger sat down at Electron's table and started talking) Tj
T* ( to him. Electron found it excruciatingly painful talking to other) Tj
T* ( people, and he kept wishing the stranger would go away.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The stranger talked about how good the drugs were in) Tj
T* ( hospital.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Mm,' Electron said. `I used to do a lot of drugs.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `How much is a lot?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I spent $28000 on dope alone in about four months.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Wow,' the stranger said, impressed. `Of course, you don't have to pay) Tj
T* ( for drugs. You can always get them for free. I do.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You do?' Electron asked, somewhat perplexed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Sure! All the time,' the stranger said grandly. `No problem. Just) Tj
T* ( watch.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The stranger calmly put his fork down on the tray, carefully stood up) Tj
ET
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T* ( and then began yelling at the top of his lungs. He waved his arms) Tj
T* ( around frantically and shouted abuse at the other patients.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Two nurses came running from the observation room. One of them tried) Tj
T* ( to calm the stranger down while the other quickly measured out various) Tj
T* ( pills and grabbed a cup of water. The stranger swallowed the pills,) Tj
T* ( chased them with a swig of water and sat down quietly. The nurses) Tj
T* ( retreated, glancing back over their shoulders.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `See?' The stranger said. `Well, I'd better be on my way, before the) Tj
T* ( pills kick in. See ya.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron watched, amazed, as the stranger picked up his bag, walked) Tj
T* ( through the dining-hall door, and straight out the front door of the) Tj
T* ( psychiatric ward.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After a month, the psychiatrists reluctantly allowed Electron to leave) Tj
T* ( the hospital in order to stay with his maternal grandmother in) Tj
T* ( Queensland. He was required to see a psychiatrist regularly. He spent) Tj
T* ( his first few days in Queensland believing he was Jesus Christ. But he) Tj
T* ( didn't hold onto that one for long. After two weeks of patiently) Tj
T* ( waiting and checking for signs of the imminent apocalypse, consistent) Tj
T* ( with the second coming, he decided he was really the reincarnation of) Tj
T* ( Buddha.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In late February 1992, after three months of psychiatric care up) Tj
T* ( north, Electron returned to Melbourne and his university studies, with) Tj
T* ( a bag full of medication. Prozac, major tranquillisers, Lithium. The) Tj
T* ( daily routine went smoothly for a while. Six Prozac--two in the) Tj
T* ( morning, two at midday and two at night. Another anti-depressant to be) Tj
T* ( taken at night. Also at night, the anti-side effect tablets to combat) Tj
T* ( the involuntary eye-rolling, jaw-dropping and neck-twisting associated) Tj
T* ( with the anti-depressants.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( All of it was designed to help him deal with what had by) Tj
T* ( now become a long list of diagnoses. Cannabis psychosis.) Tj
T* ( Schizophrenia. Manic depression. Unipolar effective disorder.) Tj
T* ( Schizophrenaform. Amphetamine psychosis. Major effective disorder.) Tj
T* ( Atypical psychosis. And his own personal favourite--facticious) Tj
T* ( disorder, or faking it to get into hospital. But the medication wasn't) Tj
T* ( helping much. Electron still felt wretched, and returning to a host of) Tj
T* ( problems in Melbourne made things worse.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Because of his illness, Electron had been largely out of the loop of) Tj
T* ( legal proceedings. Sunny Queensland provided a welcome escape. Now he) Tj
T* ( was back in Victoria facing a tedious university course in accounting,) Tj
T* ( an ongoing battle with mental illness, federal charges which could see) Tj
T* ( him locked up for ten years, and publicity surrounding the first major) Tj
T* ( hacking case in Australia. It was going to be a hard winter.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To make matters worse, Electron's medication interfered with his) Tj
T* ( ability to study properly. The anti-side effect pills relaxed the) Tj
T* ( muscles in his eyes, preventing them from focusing. The writing on the) Tj
T* ( blackboard at the front of the lecture hall was nothing but a hazy) Tj
T* ( blur. Taking notes was also a problem. The medication made his hands) Tj
T* ( tremble, so he couldn't write properly. By the end of a lecture,) Tj
T* ( Electron's notes were as unreadable as the blackboard. Frustrated,) Tj
T* ( Electron stopped taking his medicine, started smoking dope again and) Tj
T* ( soon felt a little better. When the dope wasn't enough, he turned to) Tj
T* ( magic mushrooms and hallucinogenic cactus.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The hacking case was dragging on and on. On 6 December 1991, just) Tj
T* ( after he left psych hospital but before he flew to Queensland, the) Tj
T* ( office of the DPP had formally filed an indictment containing fifteen) Tj
T* ( charges against Electron, and three against Nom, in the Victorian) Tj
T* ( County Court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron didn't talk to Phoenix much any more, but the DPP lawyers) Tj
T* ( hadn't forgotten about him--far from it. They had much bigger plans) Tj
T* ( for Phoenix, perhaps because he was fighting every step of the way.) Tj
T* ( Phoenix was uncooperative with police in the interview on the day of) Tj
T* ( the raid, frequently refusing to answer their questions. When they) Tj
T* ( asked to fingerprint him, he refused and argued with them about it.) Tj
T* ( This behaviour did not endear him to either the police or the DPP.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 5 May 1992, the DPP filed a final indictment with 40 charges) Tj
T* ( against Phoenix in the County Court. The charges, in conjunction with) Tj
T* ( those against Electron and Nom, formed part of a joint indictment) Tj
T* ( totalling 58 counts.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron worried about being sent to prison. Around the world, hackers) Tj
T* ( were under siege--Par, Pengo, LOD and Erik Bloodaxe, MOD, The Realm) Tj
T* ( hackers, Pad and Gandalf and, most recently, the International) Tj
T* ( Subversives. Somebody seemed to be trying to make a point.) Tj
T* ( Furthermore, Electron's charges had changed considerably--for the) Tj
T* ( worse--from the original ones documented in April 1990.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The DPP's final indictment bore little resemblance to the original) Tj
T* ( charge sheet handed to the young hacker when he left the police) Tj
T* ( station the day he was raided. The final indictment read like a) Tj
T* ( veritable Who's Who of prestigious institutions around the world.) Tj
T* ( Lawrence Livermore Labs, California. Two different computers at the US) Tj
T* ( Naval Research Laboratories, Washington DC. Rutgers University, New) Tj
T* ( Jersey. Tampere University of Technology, Finland. The University of) Tj
T* ( Illinios. Three different computers at the University of Melbourne.) Tj
T* ( Helsinki University of Technology, Finland. The University of New) Tj
T* ( York. NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. CSIRO, Carlton,) Tj
T* ( Victoria.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The charges which worried Electron most related to the) Tj
T* ( US Naval Research Labs, CSIRO, Lawrence Livermore Labs) Tj
T* ( and NASA. The last three weren't full hacking charges. The) Tj
T* ( DPP alleged Electron had been `knowingly concerned' with Phoenix's) Tj
T* ( access of these sites.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron looked at the thirteen-page joint indictment and didn't know) Tj
T* ( whether to laugh or cry. He had been a lot more than `knowingly) Tj
T* ( concerned' with accessing those sites. In many cases, he had given) Tj
T* ( Phoenix access to those computers in the first place. But Electron) Tj
T* ( tried to tread quietly, carefully, through most systems, while Phoenix) Tj
T* ( had noisily stomped around with all the grace of a buffalo--and left) Tj
T* ( just as many footprints. Electron hardly wanted to face full charges) Tj
T* ( for those or any other sites. He had broken into thousands of sites on) Tj
T* ( the X.25 network, but he hadn't been charged with any of them. He) Tj
T* ( couldn't help feeling a little like the gangster Al Capone being done) Tj
T* ( for tax evasion.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The proceedings were attracting considerable media attention. Electron) Tj
T* ( suspected the AFP or the DPP were alerting the media to upcoming court) Tj
T* ( appearances, perhaps in part to prove to the Americans that `something) Tj
ET
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T* ( was being done'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This case had American pressure written all over it. Electron's) Tj
T* ( barrister, Boris Kayser, said he suspected that `the) Tj
T* ( Americans'--American institutions, companies or government) Tj
T* ( agencies--were indirectly funding some of the prosecution's case by) Tj
T* ( offering to pay for US witnesses to attend the trial. The Americans) Tj
T* ( wanted to see the Australian hackers go down, and they were throwing) Tj
T* ( all their best resources at the case to make sure it happened.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was one other thing--in some ways the most disturbing matter of) Tj
T* ( all. In the course of the legal to-ing and fro-ing, Electron was told) Tj
T* ( that it was the US Secret Service back in 1988 which had triggered the) Tj
T* ( AFP investigation into The Realm hackers--an investigation which had) Tj
T* ( led to Electron's bust and current legal problems. The Secret Service) Tj
T* ( was after the hackers who broke into Citibank.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As it happened, Electron had never touched Citibank. Credit cards) Tj
T* ( couldn't interest him less. He found banks boring and, the way he) Tj
T* ( looked at it, their computers were full of mundane numbers belonging) Tj
T* ( to the world of accounting. He had already suffered through enough of) Tj
T* ( those tedious types of numbers in his university course. Unless he) Tj
T* ( wanted to steal from banks--something he would not do--there was no) Tj
T* ( point in breaking into their computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But the US Secret Service was very interested in banks--and in) Tj
T* ( Phoenix. For they didn't just believe that Phoenix had been inside) Tj
T* ( Citibank's computers. They believed he had masterminded the Citibank) Tj
T* ( attack.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And why did the US Secret Service think that? Because, Electron was) Tj
T* ( told, Phoenix had gone around bragging about it in the underground. He) Tj
T* ( hadn't just told people he had hacked into Citibank computers, he) Tj
T* ( reportedly boasted that he had stolen some $50000 from the bank.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Going through his legal brief, Electron had discovered something which) Tj
T* ( seemed to confirm what he was being told. The warrant for the) Tj
T* ( telephone tap on both of Phoenix's home phones mentioned a potential) Tj
T* ( `serious loss to Citibank' as a justification for the warrant.) Tj
T* ( Strangely, the typed words had been crossed out in the handwritten) Tj
T* ( scrawl of the judge who approved the warrant. But they were still) Tj
T* ( legible. No wonder the US Secret Service began chasing the case,) Tj
T* ( Electron thought. Banks get upset when they think people have found a) Tj
T* ( way to rip them off anonymously.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron knew that Phoenix hadn't stolen any money from Citibank.) Tj
T* ( Rather, he had been circulating fantastic stories about himself to) Tj
T* ( puff up his image in the underground, and in the process had managed) Tj
T* ( to get them all busted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In September 1992, Phoenix rang Electron suggesting they get together) Tj
T* ( to discuss the case. Electron wondered why. Maybe he suspected) Tj
T* ( something, sensing that the links binding them were weak, and becoming) Tj
T* ( weaker by the month. That Electron's mental illness had changed his) Tj
T* ( perception of the world. That his increasingly remote attitude to) Tj
T* ( Phoenix suggested an underlying anger about the continual bragging.) Tj
T* ( Whatever the reason, Phoenix's gnawing worry must have been confirmed) Tj
T* ( when Electron put off meeting with him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron didn't want to meet with Phoenix because he didn't like him,) Tj
ET
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T* ( and because he thought Phoenix was largely responsible for getting the) Tj
T* ( Australian hackers into their current predicament.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( With these thoughts fermenting in his mind, Electron listened with) Tj
T* ( interest a few months later when his solicitor, John McLoughlin,) Tj
T* ( proposed an idea. In legal circles, it was nothing new. But it was new) Tj
T* ( to Electron. He resolved to take up McLoughlin's advice.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron decided to testify as a Crown witness against Phoenix.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Chapter 7 -- Judgement Day) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Your dream world is just about to end) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( -- from `Dreamworld', on Diesel and Dust by Midnight Oil) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In another corner of the globe, the British hackers Pad and Gandalf) Tj
T* ( learned with horror that the Australian authorities had busted the) Tj
T* ( three Realm hackers. Electron had simply disappeared one day. A short) Tj
T* ( time later, Phoenix was gone too. Then the reports started rolling in) Tj
T* ( from newspapers and from other Australian hackers on a German board) Tj
T* ( similar to Altos, called Lutzifer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Something else worried Pad. In one of his hacking forays, he had) Tj
T* ( discovered a file, apparently written by Eugene Spafford, which said) Tj
T* ( he was concerned that some British hackers--read Pad and) Tj
T* ( Gandalf--would create a new worm, based on the RTM worm, and release) Tj
T* ( it into the Internet. The unnamed British hackers would then be able) Tj
T* ( to cause maximum havoc on thousands of Internet sites.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was true that Gandalf and Pad had captured copies of various worm) Tj
T* ( source codes. They fished around inside SPAN until they surfaced with) Tj
T* ( a copy of the Father Christmas worm. And, after finally successfully) Tj
T* ( hacking Russell Brand's machine at LLNL, they deftly lifted a complete) Tj
T* ( copy of the WANK worm. In Brand's machine, they also found a) Tj
T* ( description of how someone had broken into SPAN looking for the WANK) Tj
T* ( worm code, but hadn't found it. `That was me breaking into SPAN to) Tj
T* ( look around,' Gandalf laughed, relaying the tale to Pad.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Despite their growing library of worm code, Pad had no intention of) Tj
T* ( writing any such worm. They simply wanted the code to study what) Tj
T* ( penetration methods the worms had used and perhaps to learn something) Tj
T* ( new. The British hackers prided themselves on never having done) Tj
T* ( anything destructive to systems they hacked. In places where they knew) Tj
T* ( their activities had been discovered--such as at the Universities of) Tj
T* ( Bath, Edinburgh, Oxford and Strathclyde--they wrote notes to the) Tj
T* ( admins signed 8lgm. It wasn't only an ego thing--it was also a way of) Tj
T* ( telling the admins that they weren't going to do anything nasty to the) Tj
T* ( system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At one university, the admins thought 8lgm was some kind) Tj
T* ( of weird variation on a Belgian word and that the hackers who visited) Tj
T* ( their systems night after night were from Belgium. At another uni, the) Tj
T* ( admins made a different guess at the meaning. In the morning, when) Tj
T* ( they came into work and saw that the hackers had been playing in their) Tj
ET
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T* ( system all night, they would sigh to each other, `Our eight little) Tj
T* ( green men are at it again'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At the University of Lancaster, the hackers wrote a message to the) Tj
T* ( admins which said: `Don't do anything naughty. We have a good image) Tj
T* ( around the world, so please don't tarnish it or start making up) Tj
T* ( stories about us messing up systems. Don't hold your breath for us to) Tj
T* ( hack you, but keep us in mind.' Wherever they went, their message was) Tj
T* ( the same.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Nonetheless Pad visualised a scenario where Spaf whipped up the) Tj
T* ( computer security and law enforcement people into a frenzied panic and) Tj
T* ( tried to pin all sorts of things on the British hackers, none of which) Tj
T* ( they had done. The underground saw Spaf as being rabid in his attack) Tj
T* ( on hackers, based largely on his response to the RTM worm. And Gandalf) Tj
T* ( had hacked Spaf's machine.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The crackdown on the Australians, combined with the discovery of the) Tj
T* ( Spaf file, had a profound effect on Pad. Always cautious anyway, he) Tj
T* ( decided to give up hacking. It was a difficult decision, and weaning) Tj
T* ( himself from exploring systems night after night was no easy task.) Tj
T* ( However, in the face of what had happened to Electron and Phoenix,) Tj
T* ( continuing to hack didn't seem worth the risk.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Pad gave up hacking, he bought his own NUI so he could access) Tj
T* ( places like Altos legitimately. The NUI was expensive--about) Tj
T* ( [sterling]10 an hour--but he was never on for long. Leisurely chats of) Tj
T* ( the type he once enjoyed in Altos were out of the question, but at) Tj
T* ( least he could mail letters to his friends like Theorem and Gandalf.) Tj
T* ( There would have been easier ways to maintain his friendship with) Tj
T* ( Gandalf, who lived in Liverpool, only an hour's drive away. But it) Tj
T* ( wouldn't be the same. Pad and Gandalf had never met, or even talked on) Tj
T* ( the phone. They talked on-line, and via email. That was the way they) Tj
T* ( related.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad also had other reasons for giving up hacking. It was an expensive) Tj
T* ( habit in Britain because British Telecom time-charged for local phone) Tj
T* ( calls. In Australia, a hacker could stay on-line for hours, jumping) Tj
T* ( from one computer to another through the data network, all for the) Tj
T* ( cost of one local call. Like the Australians, Pad could launch his) Tj
T* ( hacking sessions from a local uni or X.25 dial-up. However, an) Tj
T* ( all-night hacking session based on a single phone call might still) Tj
T* ( cost him [sterling]5 or more in timed-call charges--a considerable) Tj
T* ( amount of money for an unemployed young man. As it was, Pad had) Tj
T* ( already been forced to stop hacking for brief periods when he ran out) Tj
T* ( of his dole money.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Although Pad didn't think he could be prosecuted for hacking under) Tj
T* ( British law in early 1990, he knew that Britain was about to enact its) Tj
T* ( own computer crime legislation--the Computer Misuse Act 1990--in) Tj
T* ( August. The 22-year-old hacker decided that it was better to quit) Tj
T* ( while he was ahead.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And he did, for a while at least. Until July 1990, when Gandalf, two) Tj
T* ( years his junior, tempted him with one final hack before the new Act) Tj
T* ( came into force. Just one last fling, Gandalf told him. After that) Tj
T* ( last fling in July, Pad stopped hacking again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Computer Misuse Act passed into law in August 1990, following two) Tj
T* ( law commission reviews on the subject. The Scottish Law Commission) Tj
ET
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T* ( issued a 1987 report proposing to make unauthorised data access) Tj
T* ( illegal, but only if the hacker tried to `secure advantage, or cause) Tj
T* ( damage to another person'--including reckless damage.2 Simple look-see) Tj
T* ( hacking would not be a crime under the report's recommendations.) Tj
T* ( However, in 1989 The Law Commission of England and Wales issued its) Tj
T* ( own report proposing that simple unauthorised access should be a crime) Tj
T* ( regardless of intent--a recommendation which was eventually included) Tj
T* ( in the law.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Late in 1989, Conservative MP Michael Colvin introduced a private) Tj
T* ( member's bill into the British parliament. Lending her support to the) Tj
T* ( bill, outspoken hacker-critic Emma Nicholson, another Conservative MP,) Tj
T* ( fired public debate on the subject and ensured the bill passed through) Tj
T* ( parliament successfully.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In November 1990, Pad was talking on-line with Gandalf, and his friend) Tj
T* ( suggested they have one more hack, just one more, for old time's sake.) Tj
T* ( Well, thought Pad, one more--just a one-off thing--wouldn't hurt.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Before long, Pad was hacking regularly again, and when Gandalf tried) Tj
T* ( to give it up, Pad was there luring him to return to his favourite) Tj
T* ( pastime. They were like two boys at school, getting each other into) Tj
T* ( trouble--the kind of trouble which always comes in pairs. If Pad and) Tj
T* ( Gandalf hadn't known each other, they probably would both have walked) Tj
T* ( away from hacking forever in 1990.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As they both got back into the swing of things, they tried to make) Tj
T* ( light of the risk of getting caught. `Hey, you know,' Gandalf joked) Tj
T* ( on-line more than once, `the first time we actually meet each other in) Tj
T* ( person will probably be in a police station.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Completely irreverent and always upbeat, Gandalf proved to be a true) Tj
T* ( friend. Pad had rarely met such a fellow traveller in the real world,) Tj
T* ( let alone on-line. What others--particularly some American) Tj
T* ( hackers--viewed as prickliness, Pad saw as the perfect sense of) Tj
T* ( humour. To Pad, Gandalf was the best m8 a fellow could ever have.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( During the time Pad avoided hacking, Gandalf had befriended another,) Tj
T* ( younger hacker named Wandii, also from the north of England. Wandii) Tj
T* ( never played much of a part in the international computer underground,) Tj
T* ( but he did spend a lot of time hacking European computers. Wandii and) Tj
T* ( Pad got along pleasantly but they were never close. They were) Tj
T* ( acquaintances, bound by ties to Gandalf in the underground.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By the middle of June 1991, Pad, Gandalf and Wandii were peaking. At) Tj
T* ( least one of them--and often more--had already broken into systems) Tj
T* ( belonging to the European Community in Luxembourg, The Financial Times) Tj
T* ( \(owners of the FTSE 100 share index\), the British Ministry of Defence,) Tj
T* ( the Foreign Office, NASA, the investment bank SG Warburg in London,) Tj
T* ( the American computer database software manufacturer Oracle, and more) Tj
T* ( machines on the JANET network than they could remember. Pad had also) Tj
T* ( penetrated a classified military network containing a NATO system.) Tj
T* ( They moved through British Telecom's Packet Switched Stream Network) Tj
T* ( \(PSS\), which was similar to the Tymnet X.25 network, with absolute) Tj
T* ( ease.3) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gandalf's motto was, `If it moves, hack it'.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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BT
/F1 10 Tf
1 0 0 1 50 752 Tm
12 TL
T* ( On 27 June 1991, Pad was sitting in the front room of his parent's) Tj
T* ( comfortable home in greater Manchester watching the last remnants of) Tj
T* ( daylight disappear on one of the longest days of the year. He loved) Tj
T* ( summer, loved waking up to streaks of sunlight sneaking through the) Tj
T* ( cracks in his bedroom curtain. He often thought to himself, it doesn't) Tj
T* ( get much better than this.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Around 11 p.m. he flicked on his modem and his Atari 520 ST computer) Tj
T* ( in the front sitting room. There were two Atari computers in the) Tj
T* ( house--indicative of his deep enthusiasm for computers since neither) Tj
T* ( his siblings nor his parents had any interest in programming. Most of) Tj
T* ( the time, however, Pad left the older Atari alone. His elder brother,) Tj
T* ( an aspiring chemist, used it for writing his PhD thesis.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Before dialling out, Pad checked that no-one was on the house's single) Tj
T* ( phone line. Finding it free, he went to check his email on Lutzifer. A) Tj
T* ( few minutes after watching his machine connect to the German board, he) Tj
T* ( heard a soft thud, followed by a creaking. Pad stopped typing, looked) Tj
T* ( up from his machine and listened. He wondered if his brother, reading) Tj
T* ( in their bedroom upstairs, or his parents, watching telly in the back) Tj
T* ( lounge room, could hear the creaking.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The sound became more pronounced and Pad swung around and looked) Tj
T* ( toward the hallway. In a matter of seconds, the front door frame had) Tj
T* ( been cracked open, prising the door away from its lock. The wood had) Tj
T* ( been torn apart by some sort of car jack, pumped up until the door) Tj
T* ( gave way.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Suddenly, a group of men burst through from the front doorstep, dashed) Tj
T* ( down the long hallway and shot up the carpeted stairs to Pad's) Tj
T* ( bedroom.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Still sitting at his computer downstairs, Pad swiftly flicked his) Tj
T* ( modem, and then his computer, off--instantly killing his connection) Tj
T* ( and everything on his screen. He turned back toward the door leading) Tj
T* ( to the sitting room and strained to hear what was happening upstairs.) Tj
T* ( If he wasn't so utterly surprised, he would almost have laughed. He) Tj
T* ( realised that when the police had dashed up to his bedroom, they had) Tj
T* ( been chasing every stereotype about hackers they had probably ever) Tj
T* ( read. The boy. In his bedroom. Hunched over his computer. Late at) Tj
T* ( night.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They did find a young man in the bedroom, with a computer. But it was) Tj
T* ( the wrong one, and for all intents and purposes the wrong computer. It) Tj
T* ( took the police almost ten minutes of quizzing Pad's brother to work) Tj
T* ( out their mistake.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hearing a commotion, Pad's parents had rushed into the hallway while) Tj
T* ( Pad peered from the doorway of the front sitting room. A uniformed) Tj
T* ( police officer ushered everyone back into the room, and began asking) Tj
T* ( Pad questions.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Do you use computers? Do you use the name Pad on computers?' they) Tj
T* ( asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad concluded the game was up. He answered their questions truthfully.) Tj
T* ( Hacking was not such a serious crime after all, he thought. It wasn't) Tj
T* ( as if he had stolen money or anything. This would be a drama, but he) Tj
T* ( was easy-going. He would roll with the punches, cop a slap on the) Tj
T* ( wrist and soon the whole thing would be over and done with.) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The police took Pad to his bedroom and asked him questions as they) Tj
T* ( searched the room. The bedroom had a comfortably lived-in look, with a) Tj
T* ( few small piles of clothes in the corner, some shoes scattered across) Tj
T* ( the floor, the curtains hanging crooked, and a collection of music) Tj
T* ( posters--Jimi Hendrix and The Smiths--taped to the wall.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A group of police hovered around his computer. One of them began to) Tj
T* ( search through Pad's books on the shelves above the PC, checking each) Tj
T* ( one as he pulled it down. A few well-loved Spike Milligan works. Some) Tj
T* ( old chess books from when he was captain of the local chess team.) Tj
T* ( Chemistry books, purchased by Pad long before he took any classes in) Tj
T* ( the subject, just to satisfy his curiosity. Physics books. An) Tj
T* ( oceanography textbook. A geology book bought after a visit to a cave) Tj
T* ( excited his interest in the formation of rocks. Pad's mother, a) Tj
T* ( nursing sister, and his father, an electronics engineer who tested) Tj
T* ( gyros on aircraft, had always encouraged their children's interest in) Tj
T* ( the sciences.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The policeman returned those books to the shelves, only picking out) Tj
T* ( the computer books, textbooks from programming and maths classes Pad) Tj
T* ( had taken at a Manchester university. The officer carefully slid them) Tj
T* ( inside plastic bags to be taken away as) Tj
T* ( evidence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then the police picked through Pad's music tapes--The Stone Roses,) Tj
T* ( Pixies, New Order, The Smiths and lots of indie music from the) Tj
T* ( flourishing Manchester music scene. No evidence of anything but an) Tj
T* ( eclectic taste in music there.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Another policeman opened Pad's wardrobe and peered inside. `Anything) Tj
T* ( in here of interest?' he asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No,' Pad answered. `It's all over here.' He pointed to the box of) Tj
T* ( computer disks.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad didn't think there was much point in the police tearing the place) Tj
T* ( to pieces, when they would ultimately find everything they wanted) Tj
T* ( anyway. Nothing was hidden. Unlike the Australian hackers, Pad hadn't) Tj
T* ( been expecting the police at all. Although part of the data on his) Tj
T* ( hard drive was encrypted, there was plenty of incriminating evidence) Tj
T* ( in the un-encrypted files.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad couldn't hear exactly what his parents were talking about with the) Tj
T* ( police in the other room, but he could tell they were calm. Why) Tj
T* ( shouldn't they be? It wasn't as if their son had done anything) Tj
T* ( terrible. He hadn't beaten someone up in a fist fight at a pub, or) Tj
T* ( robbed anyone. He hadn't hit someone while drunk driving. No, they) Tj
T* ( thought, he had just been fiddling around with computers. Maybe poking) Tj
T* ( around where he shouldn't have been, but that was hardly a serious) Tj
T* ( crime. They needn't worry. It wasn't as if he was going to prison or) Tj
T* ( anything. The police would sort it all out. Maybe some sort of) Tj
T* ( citation, and the matter would be over and done. Pad's mother even) Tj
T* ( offered to make cups of tea for the police.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One of the police struck up a conversation with Pad off to the side as) Tj
T* ( he paused to drink his tea. He seemed to know that Pad was on the) Tj
T* ( dole, and with a completely straight face, he said, `If you wanted a) Tj
T* ( job, why didn't you just join the police?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( Pad paused for a reality check. Here he was being raided by nearly a) Tj
T* ( dozen law enforcement officers--including representatives from BT and) Tj
T* ( Scotland Yard's computer crimes unit--for hacking hundreds of) Tj
T* ( computers and this fellow wanted to know why he hadn't just become a) Tj
T* ( copper?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He tried not to laugh. Even if he hadn't been busted, there is no way) Tj
T* ( he would ever have contemplated joining the police. Never in a million) Tj
T* ( years. His family and friends, while showing a pleasant veneer of) Tj
T* ( middle-class orderliness, were fundamentally anti-establishment. Many) Tj
T* ( knew that Pad had been hacking, and which sites he had penetrated.) Tj
T* ( Their attitude was: Hacking Big Brother? Good on you.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His parents were torn, wanting to encourage Pad's interest in) Tj
T* ( computers but also worrying their son spent an inordinate amount of) Tj
T* ( time glued to the screen. Their mixed feelings mirrored Pad's own) Tj
T* ( occasional concern.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While deep in the throes of endless hacking nights, he would suddenly) Tj
T* ( sit upright and ask himself, What am I doing here, fucking around on a) Tj
T* ( computer all day and night? Where is this heading? What about the rest) Tj
T* ( of life? Then he would disentangle himself from hacking for a few days) Tj
T* ( or weeks. He would go down to the university pub to drink with his) Tj
T* ( mostly male group of friends from his course.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Tall, with short brown hair, a slender physique and a handsomely) Tj
T* ( boyish face, the soft-spoken Pad would have been considered attractive) Tj
T* ( by many intelligent girls. The problem was finding those sort of) Tj
T* ( girls. He hadn't met many when he was studying at university--there) Tj
T* ( were few women in his maths and computer classes. So he and his) Tj
T* ( friends used to head down to the Manchester nightclubs for the social) Tj
T* ( scene and the good music.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad went downstairs with one of the officers and watched as the police) Tj
T* ( unplugged his 1200 baud modem, then tucked it into a plastic bag. He) Tj
T* ( had bought that modem when he was eighteen. The police unplugged) Tj
T* ( cables, bundled them up and slipped them into labelled plastic bags.) Tj
T* ( They gathered up his 20 megabyte hard drive and monitor. More plastic) Tj
T* ( bags and labels.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One of the officers called Pad over to the front door. The jack was) Tj
T* ( still wedged across the mutilated door frame. The police had broken) Tj
T* ( down the door instead of knocking because they wanted to catch the) Tj
T* ( hacker in the act--on-line. The officer motioned for Pad to follow) Tj
T* ( him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Come on,' he said, leading the hacker into the night. `We're taking) Tj
T* ( you to the station.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad spent the night in a cell at the Salford Crescent police) Tj
T* ( station, alone. No rough crims, and no other hackers either.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He settled into one of the metal cots lined against the perimeter of) Tj
T* ( the cell, but sleep evaded him. Pad wondered if Gandalf had been) Tj
T* ( raided as well. There was no sign of him, but then again, the police) Tj
T* ( would hardly be stupid enough to lock up the two hackers together. He) Tj
T* ( tossed and turned, trying to push thoughts from his head.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad had fallen into hacking almost by accident. Compared to others in) Tj
T* ( the underground, he had taken it up at a late age--around nineteen.) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( Altos had been the catalyst. Visiting BBSes, he read a file describing) Tj
T* ( not only what Altos was, but how to get there--complete with NUI.) Tj
T* ( Unlike the Australian underground, the embryonic British underground) Tj
T* ( had no shortage of NUIs. Someone had discovered a stack of BT NUIs and) Tj
T* ( posted them on BBSes across England.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad followed the directions in the BBS file and soon found himself in) Tj
T* ( the German chat channel. Like Theorem, he marvelled at the brave new) Tj
T* ( live world of Altos. It was wonderful, a big international party.) Tj
T* ( After all, it wasn't every day he got to talk with Australians, Swiss,) Tj
T* ( Germans, Italians and Americans. Before long, he had taken up hacking) Tj
T* ( like so many other Altos regulars.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hacking as a concept had always intrigued him. As a teenager, the film) Tj
T* ( War Games had dazzled him. The idea that computers could communicate) Tj
T* ( with each over telephone lines enthralled the sixteen-year-old,) Tj
T* ( filling his mind with new ideas. Sometime after that he saw a) Tj
T* ( television report on a group of hackers who claimed that they had used) Tj
T* ( their skills to move satellites around in space--the same story which) Tj
T* ( had first caught Electron's imagination.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad had grown up in Greater Manchester. More than a century before,) Tj
T* ( the region had been a textile boom-town. But the thriving economy did) Tj
T* ( not translate into great wealth for the masses. In the early 1840s,) Tj
T* ( Friedrich Engels had worked in his father's cotton-milling factory in) Tj
T* ( the area, and the suffering) Tj
T* ( he saw in the region influenced his most famous work, The Communist) Tj
T* ( Manifesto, published in 1848.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Manchester wore the personality of a working-class town, a place where) Tj
T* ( people often disliked the establishment and) Tj
T* ( distrusted authority figures. The 1970s and 1980s had not been kind to) Tj
T* ( most of Greater Manchester, with unemployment and urban decay) Tj
T* ( disfiguring the once-proud textile hub. But this decay only appeared) Tj
T* ( to strengthen an underlying resolve among many from the working) Tj
T* ( classes to challenge the symbols of power.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad didn't live in a public housing high-rise. He lived in a suburban) Tj
T* ( middle-class area, in an old, working-class town removed from the) Tj
T* ( dismal inner-city. But like many people from the north, he disliked) Tj
T* ( pretensions. Indeed, he harboured a healthy degree of good-natured) Tj
T* ( scepticism, perhaps stemming from a culture of mates whose favourite) Tj
T* ( pastime was pulling each other's leg down at the pub.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This scepticism was in full-gear as he watched the story of how) Tj
T* ( hackers supposedly moved satellites around in space, but somehow the) Tj
T* ( idea slipped through the checkpoints and captured his imagination,) Tj
T* ( just as it had done with Electron. He felt a desire to find out for) Tj
T* ( himself if it was true and he began pursuing hacking in enthusiastic) Tj
T* ( bursts. At first it was any moderately interesting system. Then he) Tj
T* ( moved to the big-name systems--computers belonging to large) Tj
T* ( institutions. Eventually, working with the Australians, he learned to) Tj
T* ( target computer security experts. That was, after all, where the) Tj
T* ( treasure was stored.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the morning at the police station, a guard gave Pad something to) Tj
T* ( eat which might have passed for food. Then he was escorted into an) Tj
T* ( interview room with two plain-clothed officers and a BT) Tj
T* ( representative.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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12 TL
T* ( Did he want a lawyer? No. He had nothing to hide. Besides, the police) Tj
T* ( had already seized evidence from his house, including unencrypted data) Tj
T* ( logs of his hacking sessions. How could he argue against that? So he) Tj
T* ( faced his stern inquisitors and answered their questions willingly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Suddenly things began to take a different turn when they began asking) Tj
T* ( about the `damage' he had done inside the Greater London Polytechnic's) Tj
T* ( computers. Damage? What damage? Pad certainly hadn't damaged anything.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Yes, the police told him. The damage totalling almost a quarter of a) Tj
T* ( million pounds.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad gasped in horror. A quarter of a million pounds? He thought back) Tj
T* ( to his many forays into the system. He had been a little mischievous,) Tj
T* ( changing the welcome message to `Hi' and signing it 8lgm. He had made) Tj
T* ( a few accounts for himself so he could log in at a later date. That) Tj
T* ( seemed to be nothing special, however, since he and Gandalf had a) Tj
T* ( habit of making accounts called 8lgm for themselves in JANET systems.) Tj
T* ( He had also erased logs of his activities to cover his tracks, but) Tj
T* ( again, this was not unusual, and he had certainly never deleted any) Tj
T* ( computer users' files. The whole thing had just been a bit of fun, a) Tj
T* ( bit of cat and mouse gaming with the system admins. There was nothing) Tj
T* ( he could recall which would account for that kind of damage. Surely) Tj
T* ( they had the wrong hacker?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( No, he was the right one all right. Eighty investigators from BT,) Tj
T* ( Scotland Yard and other places had been chasing the 8lgm hackers for) Tj
T* ( two years. They had phone traces, logs seized from his computer and) Tj
T* ( logs from the hacked sites. They knew it was him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For the first time, the true gravity of the situation hit Pad. These) Tj
T* ( people believed in some way that he had committed serious criminal) Tj
T* ( damage, that he had even been malicious.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After about two hours of questioning, they put Pad back in his cell.) Tj
T* ( More questions tomorrow, they told him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Later that afternoon, an officer came in to tell Pad his mother and) Tj
T* ( father were outside. He could meet with them in the visiting area.) Tj
T* ( Talking through a glass barrier, Pad tried to reassure his worried) Tj
T* ( parents. After five minutes, an officer told the family the visit was) Tj
T* ( over. Amid hurried goodbyes under the impatient stare of the guard,) Tj
T* ( Pad's parents told him they had brought something for him to read in) Tj
T* ( his cell. It was the oceanography textbook.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Back in his cell, he tried to read, but he couldn't concentrate. He) Tj
T* ( kept replaying his visits to the London Polytechnic over and over in) Tj
T* ( his mind, searching for how he might have inadvertently done) Tj
T* ( [sterling]250000 worth of damage. Pad was a very good hacker; it) Tj
T* ( wasn't as if he was some fourteen-year-old kid barging through systems) Tj
T* ( like a bull in china shop. He knew how to get in and out of a system) Tj
T* ( without hurting it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Shortly after 8 p.m., as Pad sat on his cot stewing over the police) Tj
T* ( damage claims, sombre music seemed to fill his cell. Slowly at first,) Tj
T* ( an almost imperceptible moaning, which subtly transformed into solemn) Tj
T* ( but recognisable notes. It sounded like Welsh choir music, and it was) Tj
T* ( coming from above him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad looked up at the ceiling. The music--all male voices-- stopped) Tj
ET
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/F1 10 Tf
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12 TL
T* ( abruptly, then started again, repeating the same heavy, laboured) Tj
T* ( notes. The hacker smiled. The local police choir was practising right) Tj
T* ( above his cell.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After another fitful night, Pad faced one more round of interviews.) Tj
T* ( The police did most of the questioning, but they didn't seem to know) Tj
T* ( much about computers--well, not nearly so much as any good hacker on) Tj
T* ( Altos. Whenever either of the police asked a technical question, they) Tj
T* ( looked over to the BT guy at the other end of the table as if to say,) Tj
T* ( `Does this make any sense?' The BT guy would give a slight nod, then) Tj
T* ( the police looked back at Pad for an answer. Most of the time, he was) Tj
T* ( able to decipher what they thought they were trying to ask, and he) Tj
T* ( answered accordingly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then it was back to his cell while they processed his charge sheets.) Tj
T* ( Alone again, Pad wondered once more if they had raided Gandalf. Like) Tj
T* ( an answer from above, Pad heard telephone tones through the walls. The) Tj
T* ( police seemed to be playing them over and over. That was when he knew) Tj
T* ( they had Gandalf too.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gandalf had rigged up a tone dialler in his computer. It sounded as if) Tj
T* ( the police were playing with it, trying to figure it out.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( So, Pad would finally meet Gandalf in person after two years. What) Tj
T* ( would he look like? Would they have the same chemistry in person as) Tj
T* ( on-line? Pad felt like he knew Gandalf, knew his essence, but meeting) Tj
T* ( in person could be a bit tricky.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Explaining that the paperwork, including the charge sheets, had) Tj
T* ( finally been organised, a police officer unlocked Pad's cell door and) Tj
T* ( led him to a foyer, telling him he would be meeting both Gandalf and) Tj
T* ( Wandii. A large collection of police had formed a semi-circle around) Tj
T* ( two other young men. In addition to Scotland Yard's Computer Crimes) Tj
T* ( Unit and BT, at least seven other police forces were involved in the) Tj
T* ( three raids, including those from Greater Manchester, Merseyside and) Tj
T* ( West Yorkshire. The officers were curious about the hackers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For most of the two years of their investigation, the police didn't) Tj
T* ( even know the hackers' real identities. After such a long, hard chase,) Tj
T* ( the police had been forced to wait a little longer, since they wanted) Tj
T* ( to nab each hacker while he was on-line. That meant hiding outside) Tj
T* ( each hacker's home until he logged in somewhere. Any system would do) Tj
T* ( and they didn't have to be talking to each other on-line--as long as) Tj
T* ( the login was illegal. The police had sat patiently, and finally) Tj
T* ( raided the hackers within hours of each other, so they didn't have) Tj
T* ( time to warn one another.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( So, at the end of the long chase and a well-timed operation, the) Tj
T* ( police wanted to have a look at the hackers up close.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After the officer walked Pad up to the group, he introduced Gandalf.) Tj
T* ( Tall, lean with brown hair and pale skin, he looked a little bit like) Tj
T* ( Pad. The two hackers smiled shyly at each other, before one of the) Tj
T* ( police pointed out Wandii, the seventeen-year-old schoolboy. Pad) Tj
T* ( didn't get a good look at Wandii, because the police quickly lined the) Tj
T* ( hackers up in a row, with Gandalf in the middle, to explain details to) Tj
T* ( them. They were being charged under the Computer Misuse Act of 1990.) Tj
T* ( Court dates would be set and they would be notified.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When they were finally allowed to leave, Wandii seemed to disappear.) Tj
ET
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T* ( Pad and Gandalf walked outside, found a couple of benches and lay) Tj
T* ( down, basking in the sun and chatting while they waited for their) Tj
T* ( rides home.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Gandalf proved to be as easy to talk to in person as he was on-line.) Tj
T* ( They exchanged phone numbers and shared notes on the police raids.) Tj
T* ( Gandalf had insisted on meeting a lawyer before his interviews, but) Tj
T* ( when the lawyer arrived he didn't have the slightest understanding of) Tj
T* ( computer crime. He advised Gandalf to tell the police whatever they) Tj
T* ( wanted to know, so the hacker did.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The trial was being held in London. Pad wondered why, if all three) Tj
T* ( hackers were from the north, the case was being tried in the south.) Tj
T* ( After all, there was a court in Manchester which was high enough to) Tj
T* ( deal with their crimes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Maybe it was because Scotland Yard was in London. Maybe they had) Tj
T* ( started the paperwork down there. Maybe it was because they were being) Tj
T* ( accused of hacking computers located within the jurisdiction of the) Tj
T* ( Central Criminal Court--that court being the Old Bailey in London. But) Tj
T* ( Pad's cynical side hazarded a different guess--a guess which seemed) Tj
T* ( justified after a few procedural appearances in 1992 before the trial,) Tj
T* ( which was set for 1993. For when Pad arrived at the Bow Street) Tj
T* ( Magistrates Court for his committal in April 1992, he saw it packed) Tj
T* ( out with the media, just as he had anticipated.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A few hackers also fronted up to fly the flag of the underground. One) Tj
T* ( of them--a stranger--came up to Pad after court, patted him on the) Tj
T* ( back and exclaimed enthusiastically, `Well done, Paddy!' Startled, Pad) Tj
T* ( just looked at him and then smiled. He had no idea how to respond to) Tj
T* ( the stranger.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Like the three Australian hackers, Pad, Gandalf and the little-known) Tj
T* ( Wandii were serving as the test case for new hacking laws in their) Tj
T* ( country. British law enforcement agencies had spent a fortune on the) Tj
T* ( case--more than [sterling]500000 according to the newspapers--by the) Tj
T* ( time the 8lgm case went to trial. This was going to be a show case,) Tj
T* ( and the government agencies wanted taxpayers to know they were getting) Tj
T* ( their money's worth.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The hackers weren't being charged with breaking into computers. They) Tj
T* ( were being charged with conspiracy, a more serious offence. While) Tj
T* ( admitting the threesome did not hack for personal gain, the) Tj
T* ( prosecution alleged the hackers had conspired to break into and modify) Tj
T* ( computer systems. It was a strange approach to say the least,) Tj
T* ( considering that none of the three hackers had ever met or even talked) Tj
T* ( to the others before they were arrested.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was not so strange, however, when looking at the potential) Tj
T* ( penalties. If the hackers had been charged with simply breaking into a) Tj
T* ( machine, without intending any harm, the maximum penalty was six) Tj
T* ( months jail and a fine of up to [sterling]5000. However, conspiracy,) Tj
T* ( which was covered under a different section of the Act, could bring up) Tj
T* ( to five years in jail and an unlimited amount in fines.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The prosecution was taking a big gamble. It would be harder to prove) Tj
T* ( conspiracy charges, which required demonstration of greater criminal) Tj
T* ( intent than lesser charges. The potential pay-off was of course also) Tj
T* ( much greater. If convicted, the defendants in Britain's most important) Tj
T* ( hacking case to date would be going to prison.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As with The Realm case, two hackers--Pad and Gandalf--planned to plead) Tj
T* ( guilty while the third--in this case Wandii--planned to fight the) Tj
T* ( charges every step of the way. Legal Aid was footing the bill for) Tj
T* ( their lawyers, because the hackers were either not working or were) Tj
T* ( working in such lowly paid, short-term jobs they qualified for free) Tj
T* ( legal support.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Wandii's lawyers told the media that this showcase was tantamount to a) Tj
T* ( state trial. It was the first major hacking case under the new) Tj
T* ( legislation which didn't involve disgruntled employees. While having) Tj
T* ( no different legal status from a normal trial, the term state trial) Tj
T* ( suggested a greater degree of official wrath--the kind usually) Tj
T* ( reserved for cases of treason.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 22 February 1993, within two months of Electron's decision to turn) Tj
T* ( Crown witness against Phoenix and Nom, the three 8lgm hackers stood in) Tj
T* ( the dock at Southwark Crown Court in South London to enter pleas in) Tj
T* ( their own case.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the dim winter light, Southwark couldn't look less appealing, but) Tj
T* ( that didn't deter the crowds. The courtroom was going to be packed,) Tj
T* ( just as Bow Street had been. Scotland Yard detectives were turning out) Tj
T* ( in force. The crowd shuffled toward Room 12.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The prosecution told the media they had about 800 computer disks full) Tj
T* ( of evidence and court materials. If all the data had been printed out) Tj
T* ( on A4 paper, the stack would tower more than 40 metres in the air,) Tj
T* ( they said. Considering the massive amount of evidence being heaved,) Tj
T* ( rolled and tugged through the building by teams of legal eagles, the) Tj
T* ( choice of location--on the fifth floor--proved to be a challenge.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Standing in the dock next to Wandii, Pad and Gandalf pleaded guilty to) Tj
T* ( two computer conspiracy charges: conspiring to dishonestly obtain) Tj
T* ( telecommunications services, and conspiring to cause unauthorised) Tj
T* ( modification to computer material. Pad also pleaded guilty to a third) Tj
T* ( charge: causing damage to a computer. This last charge related to the) Tj
T* ( almost a quarter of) Tj
T* ( a million pounds worth of `damage' to the Central London Polytechnic.) Tj
T* ( Unlike the Australians' case, none of the British hackers faced) Tj
T* ( charges about specific sites such as NASA.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad and Gandalf pleaded guilty because they didn't think they had much) Tj
T* ( choice. Their lawyers told them that, in light of the evidence,) Tj
T* ( denying their guilt was simply not a realistic option. Better to throw) Tj
T* ( yourself on the mercy of the court, they advised. As if to underline) Tj
T* ( the point, Gandalf's lawyer had told him after a meeting at the end of) Tj
T* ( 1992, `I'd like to wish you a happy Christmas, but I don't think it's) Tj
T* ( going to be one'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Wandii's lawyers disagreed. Standing beside his fellow hackers, Wandii) Tj
T* ( pleaded not guilty to three conspiracy charges: plotting to gain) Tj
T* ( unauthorised access to computers, conspiring to make unauthorised) Tj
T* ( modifications to computer material, and conspiring to obtain) Tj
T* ( telecommunications services dishonestly. His defence team was going to) Tj
T* ( argue that he was addicted to computer hacking and that, as a result) Tj
T* ( of this addiction, he was not able to form the criminal intent) Tj
T* ( necessary to be convicted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad thought Wandii's case was on shaky ground. Addiction didn't seem a) Tj
ET
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T* ( plausible defence to him, and he noticed Wandii looked very nervous in) Tj
T* ( court just after his plea.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad and Gandalf left London after their court appearance, returning to) Tj
T* ( the north to prepare for their sentencing hearings, and to watch the) Tj
T* ( progress of Wandii's case through the eyes of the media.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They weren't disappointed. It was a star-studded show. The media) Tj
T* ( revved itself up for a feeding frenzy and the prosecution team, headed) Tj
T* ( by James Richardson, knew how to feed the pack. He zeroed in on) Tj
T* ( Wandii, telling the court how the schoolboy `was tapping into offices) Tj
T* ( at the EC in Luxembourg and even the experts were worried. He caused) Tj
T* ( havoc at universities all around the world'.4 To do this, Wandii had) Tj
T* ( used a simple BBC Micro computer, a Christmas present costing) Tj
T* ( [sterling]200.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The hacking didn't stop at European Community's computer, Richardson) Tj
T* ( told the eager crowd of journalists. Wandii had hacked Lloyd's, The) Tj
T* ( Financial Times and Leeds University. At The Financial Times machine,) Tj
T* ( Wandii's adventures had upset the smooth operations of the FTSE 100) Tj
T* ( share index, known in the City as `footsie'. The hacker installed a) Tj
T* ( scanning program in the FT's network, resulting in one outgoing call) Tj
T* ( made every second. The upshot of Wandii's intrusion: a [sterling]704) Tj
T* ( bill, the deletion of an important file and a management decision to) Tj
T* ( shut down a key system. With the precision of a banker, FT computer) Tj
T* ( boss Tony Johnson told the court that the whole incident had cost his) Tj
T* ( organisation [sterling]24871.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But the FT hack paled next to the prosecution's real trump card: The) Tj
T* ( European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer in) Tj
T* ( Brussels. They had been left with a [sterling]10000 phone bill as a) Tj
T* ( result of a scanner Wandii left on its machine,5 the court was told.) Tj
T* ( The scanner had left a trail of 50000 calls, all documented on a) Tj
T* ( 980-page phone bill.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The scanner resulted in the system going down for a day, EORTC) Tj
T* ( information systems project manager Vincent Piedboeuf, told the jury.) Tj
T* ( He went on to explain that the centre needed its system to run 24) Tj
T* ( hours a day, so surgeons could register patients. The centre's) Tj
T* ( database was the focal point for pharmaceutical companies, doctors and) Tj
T* ( research centres--all coordinating their efforts in fighting the) Tj
T* ( disease.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For the media, the case was headline heaven. `Teenage computer hacker) Tj
T* ( "caused worldwide chaos"' the Daily Telegraph screamed across page) Tj
T* ( one. On page three, the Daily Mail jumped in with `Teenage hacker) Tj
T* ( "caused chaos for kicks"'. Even The Times waded into the fray.) Tj
T* ( Smaller, regional newspapers pulled the story across the countryside) Tj
T* ( to the far reaches of the British Isles. The Herald in Glasgow told) Tj
T* ( its readers `Teenage hacker "ran up [sterling]10000 telephone bill"'.) Tj
T* ( Across the Irish Sea, the Irish Times caused a splash with its) Tj
T* ( headline, `Teenage hacker broke EC computer security'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Also in the first week of the case, The Guardian announced Wandii had) Tj
T* ( taken down the cancer centre database. By the time The Independent got) Tj
T* ( hold of the story, Wandii hadn't just shut down the database, he had) Tj
T* ( been reading the patients' most intimate medical details: `Teenager) Tj
T* ( "hacked into cancer patient files"'. Not to be outdone, on day four of) Tj
T* ( the trial, the Daily Mail had christened Wandii as a `computer) Tj
T* ( genius'. By day five it labelled him as a `computer invader' who `cost) Tj
ET
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T* ( FT [sterling]25000'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The list went on. Wandii, the press announced, had hacked the Tokyo) Tj
T* ( Zoo and the White House. It was difficult to tell which was the more) Tj
T* ( serious offence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Wandii's defence team had a few tricks of its own. Ian MacDonald, QC,) Tj
T* ( junior counsel Alistair Kelman and solicitor Deborah Tripley put) Tj
T* ( London University Professor James Griffith-Edwards, an authoritative) Tj
T* ( spokesman on addictive and compulsive behaviours, on the stand as an) Tj
T* ( expert witness. The chairman of the National Addiction Centre, the) Tj
T* ( professor had been part of a team which wrote the World Health) Tj
T* ( Organisation's definition of addiction. No-one was going to question) Tj
T* ( his qualifications.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The professor had examined Wandii and he announced his conclusion to) Tj
T* ( the court: Wandii was obsessed by computers, he was unable to stop) Tj
T* ( using them, and his infatuation made it impossible for him to choose) Tj
T* ( freely. `He repeated 12 times in police interviews, "I'm just) Tj
T* ( addicted. I wish I wasn't",' Griffith-Edwards told the court. Wandii) Tj
T* ( was highly intelligent, but was unable to escape from the urge to beat) Tj
T* ( computers' security systems at their own game. The hacker was obsessed) Tj
T* ( by the intellectual challenge. `This is the core ... of what attracts) Tj
T* ( the compulsive gambler,' the professor explained to the entranced jury) Tj
T* ( of three women and nine men.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But Wandii, this obsessive, addicted, gifted young man, had never had) Tj
T* ( a girlfriend, Griffith-Edwards continued. In fact, he shyly admitted) Tj
T* ( to the professor that he wouldn't even know how to ask a girl out. `He) Tj
T* ( [Wandii] became profoundly embarrassed when asked to talk about his) Tj
T* ( own feelings. He simply couldn't cope when asked what sort of person) Tj
T* ( he was.'6) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( People in the jury edged forward in their seats, concentrating) Tj
T* ( intently on the distinguished professor. And why wouldn't they? This) Tj
T* ( was amazing stuff. This erudite man had delved inside the mind of the) Tj
T* ( young man of bizarre contrasts. A man so sophisticated that he could) Tj
T* ( pry open computers belonging to some of Britain's and Europe's most) Tj
T* ( prestigious institutions, and yet at the same time so simple that he) Tj
T* ( had no idea how to ask a girl on a date. A man who was addicted not to) Tj
T* ( booze, smack or speed, which the average person associates with) Tj
T* ( addiction, but to a computer--a machine most people associated with) Tj
T* ( kids' games and word processing programs.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The defence proceeded to present vivid examples of Wandii's addiction.) Tj
T* ( Wandii's mother, a single parent and lecturer in English, had terrible) Tj
T* ( trouble trying to get her son away from his computer and modem. She) Tj
T* ( tried hiding his modem. He found it. She tried again, hiding it at his) Tj
T* ( grandmother's house. He burgled granny's home and retrieved it. His) Tj
T* ( mother tried to get at his computer. He pushed her out of his attic) Tj
T* ( room and down the stairs.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then he ran up a [sterling]700 phone bill as a result of his hacking.) Tj
T* ( His mother switched off the electricity at the mains. Her son) Tj
T* ( reconnected it. She installed a security calling-code on the phone to) Tj
T* ( stop him calling out. He broke it. She worried he wouldn't go out and) Tj
T* ( do normal teenage things. He continued to stay up all night--and) Tj
T* ( sometimes all day--hacking. She returned from work to find him) Tj
T* ( unconscious--sprawled across the living room floor and looking as) Tj
T* ( though he was dead. But it wasn't death, only sheer exhaustion. He) Tj
ET
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T* ( hacked until he passed out, then he woke up and hacked some more.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The stories of Wandii's self-confessed addiction overwhelmed, appalled) Tj
T* ( and eventually engendered pity in the courtroom audience. The media) Tj
T* ( began calling him `the hermit hacker'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Wandii's defence team couldn't fight the prosecution's) Tj
T* ( evidence head-on, so they took the prosecution's evidence and claimed) Tj
T* ( it as their own. They showed the jury that Wandii hadn't just hacked) Tj
T* ( the institutions named by the prosecution; he had hacked far, far more) Tj
T* ( than that. He didn't just hack a lot--he hacked too much. Most of all,) Tj
T* ( Wandii's defence team gave the jury a reason to acquit the) Tj
T* ( innocent-faced young man sitting before them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( During the trial, the media focused on Wandii, but didn't completely) Tj
T* ( ignore the other two hackers. Computer Weekly hunted down where) Tj
T* ( Gandalf was working and laid it bare on the front page. A member of) Tj
T* ( `the UK's most notorious hacking gang', the journal announced, had) Tj
T* ( been working on software which would be used at Barclay's Bank.7 The) Tj
T* ( implication was clear. Gandalf was a terrible security risk and should) Tj
T* ( never be allowed to do any work for a financial institution. The) Tj
T* ( report irked the hackers, but they tried to concentrate on preparing) Tj
T* ( for their sentencing hearing.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( From the beginning of their case, the hackers had problems obtaining) Tj
T* ( certain evidence. Pad and Gandalf believed some of the material seized) Tj
T* ( in the police raids would substantially help their case--such as) Tj
T* ( messages from admins thanking them for pointing out security holes on) Tj
T* ( their systems. This material had not been included in the) Tj
T* ( prosecution's brief. When the defendants requested access to it, they) Tj
T* ( were refused access on the grounds that there was classified data on) Tj
T* ( the optical disk. They were told to go read the Attorney-General's) Tj
T* ( guidelines on disclosure of information. The evidence of the hackers') Tj
T* ( forays into military and government systems was jumbled in with their) Tj
T* ( intrusions into computers such as benign JANET systems, the defence) Tj
T* ( team was told. It would take too much time to separate the two.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Eventually, after some wrangling, Pad and Gandalf were told they could) Tj
T* ( inspect and copy material--provided it was done under the supervision) Tj
T* ( of the police. The hackers travelled to London, to Holborn police) Tj
T* ( station, to gather supporting evidence for their case. However, it) Tj
T* ( soon became clear that this time-consuming exercise would be) Tj
T* ( impossible to manage on an ongoing basis. Finally, the Crown) Tj
T* ( Prosecution Service relented, agreeing to release the material on disk) Tj
T* ( to Pad's solicitor, on the proviso that no copies were made, it did) Tj
T* ( not leave the law office, and it was returned at the end of the trial.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As Wandii's case lurched from revelation to exaggeration, Pad and) Tj
T* ( Gandalf busily continued to prepare for their own sentencing hearing.) Tj
T* ( Every day, Gandalf travelled from Liverpool to Manchester to meet with) Tj
T* ( his friend. They picked up a handful of newspapers at the local agent,) Tj
T* ( and then headed up to Pad's lawyer's office. After a quick scan for) Tj
T* ( articles covering the hacking case, the two hackers began sifting) Tj
T* ( through the reluctantly released prosecution disks. They read through) Tj
T* ( the material on computer, under the watchful eye of the law office's) Tj
T* ( cashier--the most computer literate person in the firm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After fifteen days in the Southwark courtroom listening to fantastic) Tj
T* ( stories from both sides about the boy sitting before them, the jury in) Tj
T* ( Wandii's trial retired to consider the evidence. Before they left,) Tj
ET
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T* ( Judge Harris gave them a stern warning: the argument that Wandii was) Tj
T* ( obsessed or dependent was not a defence against the charges.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It took the jurors only 90 minutes to reach a decision, and when the) Tj
T* ( verdict was read out the courtroom erupted with a wave of emotion.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Not guilty. On all counts.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Wandii's mother burst into a huge smile and turned to her son, who was) Tj
T* ( also smiling. And the defence team couldn't be happier. Kelman told) Tj
T* ( journalists, `The jury felt this was a sledge hammer being used to) Tj
T* ( crack a nut'.8) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The prosecution was stunned and the law enforcement agents) Tj
T* ( flabbergasted. Detective Sergeant Barry Donovan found the verdict) Tj
T* ( bizarre. No other case in his 21 years in law enforcement had as much) Tj
T* ( overwhelming evidence as this one, yet the jury had let Wandii walk.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And in a high-pitched frenzy rivalling its earlier hysteria, the) Tj
T* ( British media jumped all over the jury's decision. `Hacker who ravaged) Tj
T* ( systems walks free', an indignant Guardian announced. `Computer Genius) Tj
T* ( is cleared of hacking conspiracy', said the Evening Standard. `Hacking) Tj
T* ( "addict" acquitted', sniffed The Times. Overpowering them all was the) Tj
T* ( Daily Telegraph's page one: `Teenage computer addict who hacked White) Tj
T* ( House system is cleared'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then came the media king-hit. Someone had leaked another story and it) Tj
T* ( looked bad. The report, in the Mail on Sunday, said that the three) Tj
T* ( hackers had broken into a Cray computer at the European Centre for) Tj
T* ( Medium Range Weather Forecasting at Bracknell. This computer, likes) Tj
T* ( dozens of others, would normally have been relegated to the long list) Tj
T* ( of unmentioned victims except for one thing. The US military used) Tj
T* ( weather data from the centre for planning its attack on Iraq in the) Tj
T* ( Gulf War. The media report claimed that the attack had slowed down the) Tj
T* ( Cray's calculations, thus endangering the whole Desert Storm) Tj
T* ( operation. The paper announced the hackers had been `inadvertently) Tj
T* ( jeopardising--almost fatally--the international effort against Saddam) Tj
T* ( Hussein' and had put `thousands of servicemen's lives at risk'.9) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Further, the paper alleged that the US State Department was so) Tj
T* ( incensed about British hackers' repeated break-ins disrupting Pentagon) Tj
T* ( defence planning that it had complained to Prime Minister John Major.) Tj
T* ( The White House put the matter more bluntly than the State Department:) Tj
T* ( Stop your hackers or we will cut off European access to our satellite) Tj
T* ( which provides trans-Atlantic data and voice telecommunications.) Tj
T* ( Someone in Britain seemed to be listening, for less than twelve months) Tj
T* ( later, authorities had arrested all three hackers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad thought the allegations were rubbish. He had been inside a VAX) Tj
T* ( machine at the weather centre for a couple of hours one night, but he) Tj
T* ( had never touched a Cray there. He had certainly never done anything) Tj
T* ( to slow the machine down. No cracking programs, no scanners, nothing) Tj
T* ( which might account for the delay described in the report. Even if he) Tj
T* ( had been responsible, he found it hard to believe the Western allies') Tj
T* ( victory in the Gulf War was determined by one computer in Berkshire.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( All of which gave him cause to wonder why the media was running this) Tj
T* ( story now, after Wandii's acquittal but before he and Gandalf were) Tj
T* ( sentenced. Sour grapes, perhaps?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( For days, columnists, editorial and letter writers across Britain) Tj
T* ( pontificated on the meaning of the Wandii's verdict and the validity) Tj
T* ( of an addiction to hacking as a defence. Some urged computer owners to) Tj
T* ( take responsibility for securing their own systems. Others called for) Tj
T* ( tougher hacking laws. A few echoed the view of The Times, which) Tj
T* ( declared in an editorial, `a persistent car thief of [the hacker's]) Tj
T* ( age would almost certainly have received a custodial sentence. Both) Tj
T* ( crimes suggest disrespect for other people's property ... the jurors) Tj
T* ( may have failed to appreciate the seriousness of this kind of) Tj
T* ( offence'.10) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The debate flew forward, changing and growing, and expanding beyond) Tj
T* ( Britain's borders. In Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post asked,) Tj
T* ( `Is [this] case evidence of a new social phenomenon, with immature and) Tj
T* ( susceptible minds being damaged through prolonged exposure to personal) Tj
T* ( computers?' The paper described public fear that Wandii's case would) Tj
T* ( result in `the green light for an army of computer-literate hooligans) Tj
T* ( to pillage the world's databases at will, pleading insanity when) Tj
T* ( caught'.11) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By April Fool's Day 1991, more than two weeks after the end of the) Tj
T* ( court case, Wandii had his own syndrome named after him, courtesy of) Tj
T* ( The Guardian.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And while Wandii, his mother and his team of lawyers celebrated their) Tj
T* ( victory quietly, the media reported that the Scotland Yard detectives) Tj
T* ( commiserated over their defeat, which was considerably more serious) Tj
T* ( than simply losing the Wandii case. The Computer Crimes Unit was being) Tj
T* ( `reorganised'. Two experienced officers from the five-man unit were) Tj
T* ( being moved out of the group. The official line was that the) Tj
T* ( `rotations' were normal Scotland Yard procedure. The unofficial word) Tj
T* ( was that the Wandii case had been a fiasco, wasting time and money,) Tj
T* ( and the debacle was not to be repeated.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the north, a dark cloud gathered over Pad and Gandalf as their) Tj
T* ( judgment day approached. The Wandii case verdict might have been cause) Tj
T* ( for celebration among some in the computer underground, but it brought) Tj
T* ( little joy for the other two 8lgm hackers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For Pad and Gandalf, who had already pleaded guilty, Wandii's) Tj
T* ( acquittal was a disaster.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 12 May 1993, two months after Wandii's acquittal, Boris Kayser) Tj
T* ( stood up at the Bar table to put forward Electron's case at the) Tj
T* ( Australian hacker's plea and sentencing hearing. As he began to speak,) Tj
T* ( a hush fell over the Victorian County Court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A tall, burly man with a booming voice, an imperious courtroom) Tj
T* ( demeanour and his traditional black robes flowing behind him in an) Tj
T* ( echo of his often emphatic gesticulations, Kayser was larger than) Tj
T* ( life. A master showman, he knew how to play an audience of courtroom) Tj
T* ( journalists sitting behind him as much as to the judge in front of) Tj
T* ( him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron had already stood in the dock and pleaded guilty to fourteen) Tj
T* ( charges, as agreed with the DPP's office. In typical style, Kayser had) Tj
T* ( interrupted the long process of the court clerk reading out each) Tj
T* ( charge and asking whether Electron would plead guilty or not guilty.) Tj
ET
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T* ( With an impatient wave of his hand, Kayser asked the judge to dispense) Tj
T* ( with such formalities since his client would plead guilty to all the) Tj
T* ( agreed charges at once. The interjection was more of an announcement) Tj
T* ( than a question.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The formalities of a plea having been summarily dealt with, the) Tj
T* ( question now at hand was sentencing. Electron wondered if he would be) Tj
T* ( sent to prison. Despite lobbying from Electron's lawyers, the DPP's) Tj
T* ( office had refused to recommend a non-custodial sentence. The best) Tj
T* ( deal Electron's lawyers had been able to arrange in exchange for) Tj
T* ( turning Crown witness was for the DPP to remain silent on the issue of) Tj
T* ( prison. The judge would make up his mind without input from the DPP.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron fiddled nervously with his father's wedding ring, which he) Tj
T* ( wore on his right hand. After his father's death, Electron's sister) Tj
T* ( had begun taking things from the family home. Electron didn't care) Tj
T* ( much because there were only two things he really wanted: that ring) Tj
T* ( and some of his father's paintings.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Kayser called a handful of witnesses to support the case for a light) Tj
T* ( sentence. Electron's grandmother from Queensland. The family friend) Tj
T* ( who had driven Electron to the hospital the day his father died.) Tj
T* ( Electron's psychiatrist, the eminent Lester Walton. Walton in) Tj
T* ( particular highlighted the difference between the two possible paths) Tj
T* ( forward: prison, which would certainly traumatise an already mentally) Tj
T* ( unstable young man, or freedom, which offered Electron a good chance) Tj
T* ( of eventually establishing a normal life.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Kayser began summarising the case for a non-custodial sentence,) Tj
T* ( Electron could hear the pack of journalists off to his side) Tj
T* ( frantically scribbling notes. He wanted to look at them, but he was) Tj
T* ( afraid the judge would see his ponytail, carefully tucked into his) Tj
T* ( neatly ironed white shirt, if he turned sideways,) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Your Honour,' Kayser glanced backward slightly, toward the court) Tj
T* ( reporters, as he warmed up, `my client lived in an artificial world of) Tj
T* ( electronic pulses.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Scratch, scribble. Electron could almost predict, within half a) Tj
T* ( second, when the journalists' pencils and pens would reach a crescendo) Tj
T* ( of activity. The ebb and flow of Boris's boom was timed in the style) Tj
T* ( of a TV newsreader.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Kayser said his client was addicted to the computer the way an) Tj
T* ( alcoholic was obsessed with the bottle. More scratching, and lots of) Tj
T* ( it. This client, Kayser thundered, had never sought to damage any) Tj
T* ( system, steal money or make a profit. He was not malicious in the) Tj
T* ( least, he was merely playing a game.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I think,' Electron's barrister concluded passionately, but slowly) Tj
T* ( enough for every journalist to get it down on paper, `that he should) Tj
T* ( have been called Little Jack Horner, who put in his thumb, pulled out) Tj
T* ( a plumb and said, "What a good boy am I!"') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Now came the wait. The judge retired to his chambers to weigh up the) Tj
T* ( pre-sentence report, Electron's family situation, the fact that he had) Tj
T* ( turned Crown witness, his offences--everything. Electron had given a) Tj
T* ( nine-page written statement against Phoenix to the prosecution. If the) Tj
T* ( Phoenix case went to trial, Electron would be put on the stand to back) Tj
T* ( up that statement.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the month before Electron returned to court to hear his sentence,) Tj
T* ( he thought about how he could have fought the case. Some of the) Tj
T* ( charges were dubious.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In one case, he had been charged with illegally accessing public) Tj
T* ( information through a public account. He had accessed the anonymous) Tj
T* ( FTP server at the University of Helsinki to copy information about) Tj
T* ( DES. His first point of access had been through a hacked Melbourne) Tj
T* ( University account.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Beat that charge, Electron's lawyer had told him, and there's plenty) Tj
T* ( more where that came from. The DPP had good pickings and could make up) Tj
T* ( a new charge for another site. Still, Electron reasoned some of the) Tj
T* ( Crown's evidence would not have stood up under cross-examination.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When reporters from Australia and overseas called NASA headquarters) Tj
T* ( for comment on the hacker-induced network shutdown, the agency) Tj
T* ( responded that it had no idea what they were talking about. There had) Tj
T* ( been no NASA network shutdown. A spokesman made inquiries and, he) Tj
T* ( assured the media, NASA was puzzled by the report. Sharon Beskenis's) Tj
T* ( statement didn't seem so watertight after all. She was not, it turned) Tj
T* ( out, even a NASA employee but a contractor from Lockheed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( During that month-long wait, Electron had trouble living down Kayser's) Tj
T* ( nursery-rhyme rendition in the courtroom. When he rang friends, they) Tj
T* ( would open the conversation saying, `Oh, is that Little Jack Horner?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They had all seen the nightly news, featuring Kayser and his client.) Tj
T* ( Kayser had looked grave leaving court, while Electron, wearing John) Tj
T* ( Lennon-style glasses with dark lenses and with his shoulder-length) Tj
T* ( curls pulled tightly back in a ponytail, had tried to smile at the) Tj
T* ( camera crews. But his small, fine features and smattering of freckles) Tj
T* ( disappeared under the harsh camera lights, so much so that the black,) Tj
T* ( round spectacles seemed almost to float on a blank, white surface.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The week after Electron pleaded guilty in Australia, Pad and Gandalf) Tj
T* ( sat side by side in London's Southwark dock one last time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For a day and a half, beginning on 20 May 1993, the two hackers) Tj
T* ( listened to their lawyers argue their defence. Yes, our clients hacked) Tj
T* ( computers, they told the judge, but the offences were nowhere near as) Tj
T* ( serious as the prosecution wants to paint them. The lawyers were) Tj
T* ( fighting hard for one thing: to keep Pad and Gandalf out of prison.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Some of the hearing was tough going for the two hackers, but not just) Tj
T* ( because of any sense of foreboding caused by the judge's imminent) Tj
T* ( decision. The problem was that Gandalf made Pad laugh, and it didn't) Tj
T* ( look at all good to laugh in the middle of your sentencing hearing.) Tj
T* ( Sitting next to Gandalf for hours on end, while lawyers from both) Tj
T* ( sides butchered the technical aspects of computer hacking which the) Tj
T* ( 8lgm hackers had spent years learning, did it. Pad had only to give) Tj
T* ( Gandalf a quick sidelong glance and he quickly found himself) Tj
T* ( swallowing and clearing his throat to keep from bursting into) Tj
T* ( laughter. Gandalf's irrepressible irreverence was written all over his) Tj
T* ( face.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The stern-faced Judge Harris could send them to jail, but he still) Tj
T* ( wouldn't understand. Like the gaggle of lawyers bickering at the front) Tj
T* ( of the courtroom, the judge was--and would always be--out of the loop.) Tj
ET
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T* ( None of them had any idea what was really going on inside the heads of) Tj
T* ( the two hackers. None of them could ever understand what hacking was) Tj
T* ( all about--the thrill of stalking a quarry or of using your wits to) Tj
T* ( outsmart so-called experts; the pleasure of finally penetrating a) Tj
T* ( much-desired machine and knowing that system is yours; the deep) Tj
T* ( anti-establishment streak which served as a well-centred ballast) Tj
T* ( against the most violent storms washing in from the outside world; and) Tj
T* ( the camaraderie of the international hacking community on Altos.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The lawyers could talk about it, could put experts on the stand and) Tj
T* ( psychological reports in the hands of the judge, but none of them) Tj
T* ( would ever really comprehend because they had never experienced it.) Tj
T* ( The rest of the courtroom was out of the loop, and Pad and Gandalf) Tj
T* ( stared out from the dock as if looking through a two-way mirror from a) Tj
T* ( secret, sealed room.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad's big worry had been this third charge--the one which he faced) Tj
T* ( alone. At his plea hearing, he had admitted to causing damage to a) Tj
T* ( system owned by what was, in 1990, called the Polytechnic of Central) Tj
T* ( London. He hadn't damaged the machine by, say, erasing files, but the) Tj
T* ( other side had claimed that the damages totalled about [sterling]250) Tj
T* ( 000.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The hacker was sure there was zero chance the polytechnic had spent) Tj
T* ( anything near that amount. He had a reasonable idea of how long it) Tj
T* ( would take someone to clean up his intrusions. But if the prosecution) Tj
T* ( could convince a judge to accept that figure, the hacker might be) Tj
T* ( looking at a long prison term.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad had already braced himself for the possibility of prison. His) Tj
T* ( lawyer warned him before the sentencing date that there was a) Tj
T* ( reasonable likelihood the two 8lgm hackers would be sent down. After) Tj
T* ( the Wandii case, the public pressure to `correct' a `wrong' decision) Tj
T* ( by the Wandii jury was enormous. The police had described Wandii's) Tj
T* ( acquittal as `a licence to hack'--and The Times, had run the) Tj
T* ( statement.12 It was likely the judge, who had presided over Wandii's) Tj
T* ( trial, would want to send a loud and clear message to the hacking) Tj
T* ( community.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad thought that perhaps, if he and Gandalf had pleaded not guilty) Tj
T* ( alongside Wandii, they would have been acquitted. But there was no way) Tj
T* ( Pad would have subjected himself to the kind of public humiliation) Tj
T* ( Wandii went through during the `addicted to computers' evidence. The) Tj
T* ( media appeared to want to paint the three hackers as pallid, scrawny,) Tj
T* ( socially inept, geeky geniuses, and to a large degree Wandii's lawyers) Tj
T* ( had worked off this desire. Pad didn't mind being viewed as highly) Tj
T* ( intelligent, but he wasn't a geek. He had a casual girlfriend. He went) Tj
T* ( out dancing with friends or to hear bands in Manchester's thriving) Tj
T* ( alternative music scene. He worked out his upper body with weights at) Tj
T* ( home. Shy--yes. A geek--no.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Could Pad have made a case for being addicted to hacking? Yes,) Tj
T* ( although he never believed that he had been. Completely enthralled,) Tj
T* ( entirely entranced? Maybe. Suffering from a passing obsession?) Tj
T* ( Perhaps. But addicted? No, he didn't think so. Besides, who knew for) Tj
T* ( sure if a defence of addiction could have saved him from the) Tj
T* ( prosecution's claim anyway?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Exactly where the quarter of a million pound claim came from in the) Tj
T* ( first place was a mystery to Pad. The police had just said it to him,) Tj
ET
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T* ( as if it was fact, in the police interview. Pad hadn't seen any proof,) Tj
T* ( but that hadn't stopped him from spending a great deal of time feeling) Tj
T* ( very stressed about how the judge would view the matter.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The only answer seemed to be some good, independent technical advice.) Tj
T* ( At the request of both Pad and Gandalf's lawyers, Dr Peter Mills, of) Tj
T* ( Manchester University, and Dr Russell Lloyd, of London Business) Tj
T* ( School, had examined a large amount of technical evidence presented in) Tj
T* ( the prosecution's papers. In an independent report running to more) Tj
T* ( than 23 pages, the experts stated that the hackers had caused less) Tj
T* ( havoc than the prosecution alleged. In addition, Pad's solicitor asked) Tj
T* ( Dr Mills to specifically review, in a separate report, the evidence) Tj
T* ( supporting the prosecution's large damage claim.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Dr Mills stated that one of the police expert witnesses, a British) Tj
T* ( Telecom employee, had said that Digital recommended a full rebuild of) Tj
T* ( the system at the earliest possible opportunity--and at considerable) Tj
T* ( cost. However, the BT expert had not stated that the cost was) Tj
T* ( [sterling]250000 nor even mentioned if the cost quote which had been) Tj
T* ( given had actually been accepted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In fact, Dr Mills concluded that there was no supporting evidence at) Tj
T* ( all for the quarter of a million pound claim. Not only that, but any) Tj
T* ( test of reason based on the evidence provided by the prosecution) Tj
T* ( showed the claim to be completely ridiculous.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In a separate report, Dr Mills' stated that:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( i\) The machine concerned was a Vax 6320, this is quite a powerful) Tj
T* ( `mainframe' system and could support several hundreds of users.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ii\) That a full dump of files takes 6 tapes, however since the type of) Tj
T* ( tape is not specified this gives no real indication of the size of the) Tj
T* ( filesystem. A tape could vary from 0.2 Gigabytes to 2.5 Gigabytes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( iii\) The machine was down for three days.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( With this brief information it is difficult to give an accurate cost) Tj
T* ( for restoring the machine, however an over estimate would be:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( i\) Time spent in restoring the system, 10 man days at [sterling]300) Tj
T* ( per day; [sterling]3000.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ii\) Lost time by users, 30 man days at [sterling]300 per day;) Tj
T* ( [sterling]9000.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The total cost in my opinion is unlikely to be higher than) Tj
T* ( [sterling]12000 and this itself is probably a rather high estimate. I) Tj
T* ( certainly cannot see how a figure of [sterling]250000 could be) Tj
T* ( justified.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It looked to Pad that the prosecution's claim was not for damage at) Tj
T* ( all. It was for properly securing the system--an entirely rebuilt) Tj
T* ( system. It seemed to him that the police were trying to put the cost) Tj
T* ( of securing the polytechnic's entire computer network onto the) Tj
T* ( shoulders of one hacker--and to call it damages. In fact, Pad) Tj
T* ( discovered, the polytechnic had never actually even spent the) Tj
T* ( [sterling]250000.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad was hopeful, but he was also angry. All along, the police had been) Tj
ET
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T* ( threatening him with this huge damage bill. He had tossed and turned) Tj
T* ( in his bed at night worrying about it. And, in the end, the figure put) Tj
T* ( forward for so long as fact was nothing but an outrageous claim based) Tj
T* ( on not a single shred of solid evidence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Using Dr Mills's report, Pad's barrister, Mukhtar Hussain, QC,) Tj
T* ( negotiated privately with the prosecution barrister, who finally) Tj
T* ( relented and agreed to reduce the damage estimate to [sterling]15000.) Tj
T* ( It was, in Pad's view, still far too high, but it was much better than) Tj
T* ( [sterling]250000. He was in no mind to look a gift horse in the mouth.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Judge Harris accepted the revised damage estimate.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The prosecution may have lost ground on the damage bill, but it wasn't) Tj
T* ( giving up the fight. These two hackers, James Richardson told the) Tj
T* ( court and journalists during the two-day sentencing hearing, had) Tj
T* ( hacked into some 10000 computer systems around the world. They were) Tj
T* ( inside machines or networks in at least fifteen countries. Russia.) Tj
T* ( India. France. Norway. Germany. The US. Canada. Belgium. Sweden.) Tj
T* ( Italy. Taiwan. Singapore. Iceland. Australia. Officers on the case) Tj
T* ( said the list of the hackers' targets `read like an atlas', Richardson) Tj
T* ( told the court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad listened to the list. It sounded about right. What didn't sound) Tj
T* ( right were the allegations that he or Gandalf had crashed Sweden's) Tj
T* ( telephone network by running an X.25 scanner over its packet network.) Tj
T* ( The crash had forced a Swedish government minister to apologise on) Tj
T* ( television. The police said the minister did not identify the true) Tj
T* ( cause of the problem--the British hackers--in his public apology.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad had no idea what they were talking about. He hadn't done anything) Tj
T* ( like that to the Swedish phone system, and as far as he knew, neither) Tj
T* ( had Gandalf.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Something else didn't sound right. Richardson told the court that in) Tj
T* ( total, the two hackers had racked up at least [sterling]25000 in phone) Tj
T* ( bills for unsuspecting legitimate customers, and caused `damage' to) Tj
T* ( systems which was very conservatively estimated at almost) Tj
T* ( [sterling]123000.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Where were these guys getting these numbers from? Pad marvelled at) Tj
T* ( their cheek. He had been through the evidence with a fine-toothed) Tj
T* ( comb, yet he had not seen one single bill showing what a site had) Tj
T* ( actually paid to repair `damage' caused by the hackers. The figures) Tj
T* ( tossed around by the police and the prosecution weren't real bills;) Tj
T* ( they weren't cast in iron.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally, on Friday 21 May, after all the evidence had been presented,) Tj
T* ( the judge adjourned the court to consider sentencing. When he returned) Tj
T* ( to the bench fifteen minutes later, Pad knew what was going to happen) Tj
T* ( from the judge's face. To the hacker, the expression said: I am going) Tj
T* ( to give you everything that Wandii should have got.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Judge Harris echoed The Times's sentiments when he told the two) Tj
T* ( defendants, `If your passion had been cars rather than computers, we) Tj
T* ( would have called your conduct delinquent, and I don't shrink from the) Tj
T* ( analogy of describing what you were doing as intellectual joyriding.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hacking is not harmless. Computers now form a central role in our) Tj
T* ( lives. Some, providing emergency services, depend on their computers) Tj
ET
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T* ( to deliver those services.'13) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hackers needed to be given a clear signal that computer crime `will) Tj
T* ( not and cannot be tolerated', the judge said, adding that he had) Tj
T* ( thought long and hard before handing down sentence. He accepted that) Tj
T* ( neither hacker had intended to cause damage, but it was imperative to) Tj
T* ( protect society's computer systems and he would be failing in his) Tj
T* ( public duty if he didn't sentence the two hackers to a prison term of) Tj
T* ( six months.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Judge Harris told the hackers that he had chosen a custodial sentence,) Tj
T* ( `both to penalise you for what you have done and for the losses) Tj
T* ( caused, and to deter others who might be similarly tempted'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This was the show trial, not Wandii's case, Pad thought as the court) Tj
T* ( officers led him and Gandalf out of the dock, down to the prisoner's) Tj
T* ( lift behind the courtroom and into a jail cell.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Less than two weeks after Pad and Gandalf were sentenced, Electron was) Tj
T* ( back in the Victorian County Court to discover his own fate.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As he stood in the dock on 3 June 1993 he felt numb, as emotionally) Tj
T* ( removed from the scene as Meursault in Camus' L'etranger. He believed) Tj
T* ( he was handling the stress pretty well until he experienced tunnel) Tj
T* ( vision while watching the judge read his penalty. He perused the room) Tj
T* ( but saw neither Phoenix nor Nom.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Judge Anthony Smith summarised the charges, he seemed to have a) Tj
T* ( special interest in count number 13--the Zardoz charge. A few minutes) Tj
T* ( into reading the sentence, the judge said, `In my view, a custodial) Tj
T* ( sentence is appropriate for each of the offences constituted by the) Tj
T* ( 12th, 13th and 14th counts'. They were the `knowingly concerned') Tj
T* ( charges, with Phoenix, involving NASA, LLNL and CSIRO. Electron looked) Tj
T* ( around the courtroom. People turned back to stare at him. Their eyes) Tj
T* ( said, `You are going to prison'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I formed the view that a custodial sentence is appropriate in respect) Tj
T* ( of each of these offences because of the seriousness of them,' Judge) Tj
T* ( Smith noted, `and having regard to the need to demonstrate that the) Tj
T* ( community will not tolerate this type of offence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Our society today is ... increasingly ... dependent upon the use of) Tj
T* ( computer technology. Conduct of the kind in which you engaged poses a) Tj
T* ( threat to the usefulness of that technology ... It is incumbent upon) Tj
T* ( the courts ... to see to it that the sentences they impose reflect the) Tj
T* ( gravity of this kind of criminality.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `On each of Counts 12, 13 and 14, you are convicted and you are) Tj
T* ( sentenced to a term of imprisonment of six months ... each ... to be) Tj
T* ( concurrent.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The judge paused, then continued, `And ... I direct, by order, that) Tj
T* ( you be released forthwith upon your giving security by recognisance) Tj
T* ( ... in the sum of $500 ... You will not be required to serve the terms) Tj
T* ( of imprisonment imposed, provided you are of good behaviour for the) Tj
T* ( ensuing six months.' He then ordered Electron to complete 300 hours of) Tj
T* ( community service, and to submit to psychiatric assessment and) Tj
T* ( treatment.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Electron breathed a sigh of relief.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When outlining the mitigating circumstances which led to suspension of) Tj
T* ( the jail sentence, Judge Smith described Electron as being addicted to) Tj
T* ( using his computer `in much the same way as an alcoholic becomes) Tj
T* ( addicted to the bottle'. Boris Kayser had used the analogy in the) Tj
T* ( sentencing hearing, perhaps for the) Tj
T* ( benefit of the media, but the judge had obviously been swayed by his) Tj
T* ( view.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When court adjourned, Electron left the dock and shook hands with his) Tj
T* ( lawyers. After three years, he was almost free of his court problems.) Tj
T* ( There was only one possible reason he might need to return to court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If Phoenix fought out his case in a full criminal trial, the DPP would) Tj
T* ( put Electron on the stand to testify against him. It would be an ugly) Tj
T* ( scene.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The inmates of HM Prison Kirkham, on the north-west coast of England,) Tj
T* ( near Preston, had heard all about Pad and Gandalf by the time they) Tj
T* ( arrived. They greeted the hackers by name. They'd seen the reports on) Tj
T* ( telly, especially about how Gandalf had hacked NASA--complete with) Tj
T* ( footage of the space shuttle taking off. Some TV reporter's idea of) Tj
T* ( subtle irony--`Two hackers were sent down today' as the space shuttle) Tj
T* ( went up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Kirkham was far better than Brixton, where the hackers had spent the) Tj
T* ( first days of their sentence while awaiting transfer. Brixton was what) Tj
T* ( Pad always envisioned prison would look like, with floors of barred) Tj
T* ( cells facing onto an open centre and prisoners only allowed out of) Tj
T* ( their cells for scheduled events such as time in the yard. It was a) Tj
T* ( place where hard-core criminals lived. Fortunately, Pad and Gandalf) Tj
T* ( had been placed in the same cell while they waited to be assigned to) Tj
T* ( their final destination.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After ten days inside Brixton Pad and Gandalf were led from their) Tj
T* ( cell, handcuffed and put in a coach heading toward the windy west) Tj
T* ( coast.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( During the drive, Pad kept looking down at his hand, locked in shiny) Tj
T* ( steel to Gandalf's hand, then he looked back up again at his fellow) Tj
T* ( hacker. Clearing his throat and turning away from Gandalf's difficult) Tj
T* ( grin--his friend now on the edge of laughing himself--Pad struggled.) Tj
T* ( He tried to hold down the muscles of his face, to pull them back from) Tj
T* ( laughter.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A minimum security prison holding up to 632 prisoners, Kirkham looked) Tj
T* ( vaguely like a World War II RAF base with a large collection of) Tj
T* ( free-standing buildings around the grounds. There were no real walls,) Tj
T* ( just a small wire fence which Pad soon learned prisoners routinely) Tj
T* ( jumped when the place started to get to them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For a prison, Kirkham was pretty good. There was a duck pond, a) Tj
T* ( bowling green, a sort of mini-cinema which showed films in the early) Tj
T* ( evenings, eight pay phones, a football field, a cricket pavilion and,) Tj
T* ( best of all, lots of fields. Prisoners could have visits on weekday) Tj
T* ( afternoons between 1.10 and 3.40, or on the weekend.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Luck smiled on the two hackers. They were assigned to the same billet) Tj
T* ( and, since none of the other prisoners objected, they became) Tj
T* ( room-mates. Since they were sentenced in May, they would serve their) Tj
ET
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T* ( time during summer. If they were `of good behaviour' and didn't get) Tj
T* ( into trouble with other prisoners, they would be out in three months.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Like any prison, Kirkham had its share of prisoners who didn't get) Tj
T* ( along with each other. Mostly, prisoners wanted to know what you were) Tj
T* ( in for and, more particularly, if you had been convicted of a sex) Tj
T* ( crime. They didn't like sex crime offenders and Pad heard about a pack) Tj
T* ( of Kirkham prisoners who dragged one of their own, screaming, to a) Tj
T* ( tree, where they tried to hang him for being a suspected rapist. In) Tj
T* ( fact, the prisoner hadn't been convicted of anything like rape. He had) Tj
T* ( simply refused to pay his poll tax.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Fortunately for Pad and Gandalf, everyone else in Kirkham knew why) Tj
T* ( they were there. At the end of their first week they returned to their) Tj
T* ( room one afternoon to find a sign painted above their door. It said,) Tj
T* ( `NASA HQ'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The other minimum security prisoners understood hacking--and they had) Tj
T* ( all sorts of ideas about how you could make money from it. Most of the) Tj
T* ( prisoners in Kirkham were in for petty theft, credit card fraud, and) Tj
T* ( other small-time crimes. There was also a phreaker, who arrived the) Tj
T* ( same day as Pad and Gandalf. He landed eight months in prison--two) Tj
T* ( more than the 8lgm hackers--and Pad wondered what kind of message that) Tj
T* ( sent the underground.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Despite their best efforts, the 8lgm twosome didn't fit quite the) Tj
T* ( prison mould. In the evenings, other prisoners spent their free time) Tj
T* ( shooting pool or taking drugs. In the bedroom down the hall, Gandalf) Tj
T* ( lounged on his bed studying a book on VMS internals. Pad read a) Tj
T* ( computer magazine and listened to some indie music--often his `Babes) Tj
T* ( in Toyland' tape. In a parody of prison movies, the two hackers marked) Tj
T* ( off their days inside the prison with cross-hatched lines on their) Tj
T* ( bedroom wall--four marks, then a diagonal line through them. They) Tj
T* ( wrote other things on the walls too.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The long, light-filled days of summer flowed one into the other, as) Tj
T* ( Pad and Gandalf fell into the rhythm of the prison. The morning) Tj
T* ( check-in at 8.30 to make sure none of the prisoners had gone) Tj
T* ( walkabout. The dash across the bowling green for a breakfast of beans,) Tj
T* ( bacon, eggs, toast and sausage. The walk to the greenhouses where the) Tj
T* ( two hackers had been assigned for work detail.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The work wasn't hard. A little digging in the pots. Weeding around the) Tj
T* ( baby lettuce heads, watering the green peppers and transplanting) Tj
T* ( tomato seedlings. When the greenhouses became too warm by late) Tj
T* ( morning, Pad and Gandalf wandered outside for a bit of air. They often) Tj
T* ( talked about girls, cracking crude, boyish jokes about women and) Tj
T* ( occasionally discussing their girlfriends more seriously. As the heat) Tj
T* ( settled in, they sat down, lounging against the side of the) Tj
T* ( greenhouse.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After lunch, followed by more time in the greenhouse, Pad and Gandalf) Tj
T* ( sometimes went off for walks in the fields surrounding the prison.) Tj
T* ( First the football field, then the paddocks dotted with cows beyond) Tj
T* ( it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Pad was a likeable fellow, largely because of his easygoing style and) Tj
T* ( relaxed sense of humour. But liking him wasn't the same as knowing) Tj
T* ( him, and the humour often deflected deeper probing into his) Tj
T* ( personality. But Gandalf knew him, understood him. Everything was so) Tj
ET
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T* ( easy with Gandalf. During the long, sunny walks, the conversation) Tj
T* ( flowed as easily as the light breeze through the grass.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As they wandered in the fields, Pad often wore his denim jacket. Most) Tj
T* ( of the clothes on offer from the prison clothing office were drab) Tj
T* ( blue, but Pad had lucked onto this wonderful, cool denim jacket which) Tj
T* ( he took to wearing all the time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Walking for hours on end along the perimeters of the prison grounds,) Tj
T* ( Pad saw how easy it would be to escape, but in the end there didn't) Tj
T* ( seem to be much point. They way he saw it, the police would just catch) Tj
T* ( you and put you back in again. Then you'd have to serve extra time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Once a week, Pad's parents came to visit him, but the few precious) Tj
T* ( hours of visiting time were more for his parents' benefit than his) Tj
T* ( own. He reassured them that he was OK, and when they looked him in the) Tj
T* ( face and saw it was true, they stopped worrying quite so much. They) Tj
T* ( brought him news from home, including the fact that his computer) Tj
T* ( equipment had been returned by one of the police who had been in the) Tj
T* ( original raid.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The officer asked Pad's mother how the hacker was doing in prison.) Tj
T* ( `Very well indeed,' she told him. `Prison's not nearly so bad as he) Tj
T* ( thought.' The officer's face crumpled into a disappointed frown. He) Tj
T* ( seemed to be looking for news that Pad was suffering nothing but) Tj
T* ( misery.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At the end of almost three months, with faces well tanned from walking) Tj
T* ( in the meadows, Pad and Gandalf walked free.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To the casual witness sitting nearby in the courtroom, the tension) Tj
T* ( between Phoenix's mother and father was almost palpable. They were not) Tj
T* ( sitting near each other but that didn't mitigate the silent hostility) Tj
T* ( which rose through the air like steam. Phoenix's divorced parents) Tj
T* ( provided a stark contrast to Nom's adopted parents, an older, suburban) Tj
T* ( couple who were very much married.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On Wednesday, 25 August 1993 Phoenix and Nom pleaded guilty to fifteen) Tj
T* ( and two charges respectively. The combined weight of the prosecution's) Tj
T* ( evidence, the risk and cost of running a full trial and the need to) Tj
T* ( get on with their lives had pushed them over the edge. Electron didn't) Tj
T* ( need to come to court to give evidence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At the plea hearing, which ran over to the next day, Phoenix's lawyer,) Tj
T* ( Dyson Hore-Lacy, spent considerable time sketching the messy divorce) Tj
T* ( of his client's parents for the benefit of the judge. Suggesting) Tj
T* ( Phoenix retreated into his computer during the bitter separation and) Tj
T* ( divorce was the best chance of getting him off a prison term. Most of) Tj
T* ( all, the defence presented Phoenix as a young man who had strayed off) Tj
T* ( the correct path in life but was now back on track--holding down a job) Tj
T* ( and having a life.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The DPP had gone in hard against Phoenix. They seemed to want a jail) Tj
T* ( term badly and they doggedly presented Phoenix as an arrogant) Tj
T* ( braggart. The court heard a tape-recording of Phoenix ringing up) Tj
T* ( security guru Edward DeHart of the Computer Emergency Response Team at) Tj
T* ( Carnegie Mellon University to brag about a security exploit. Phoenix) Tj
T* ( told DeHart to get onto his computer and then proceeded to walk him) Tj
ET
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T* ( step by step through the `passwd -f' security bug. Ironically, it was) Tj
T* ( Electron who had discovered that security hole and taught it to) Tj
T* ( Phoenix--a fact Phoenix didn't seem to want to mention to DeHart.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The head of the AFP's Southern Region Computer Crimes Unit, Detective) Tj
T* ( Sergeant Ken Day was in court that day. There was no way he was going) Tj
T* ( to miss this. The same witness noting the tension between Phoenix's) Tj
T* ( parents might also have perceived an undercurrent of hostility between) Tj
T* ( Day and Phoenix--an undercurrent which did not seem to exist between) Tj
T* ( Day and either of the other Realm hackers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Day, a short, careful man who gave off an air of bottled intensity,) Tj
T* ( seemed to have an acute dislike for Phoenix. By all observations the) Tj
T* ( feeling was mutual. A cool-headed professional, Day would never say) Tj
T* ( anything in public to express the dislike--that was not his style. His) Tj
T* ( dislike was only indicated by a slight tightness in the muscles of an) Tj
T* ( otherwise unreadable face.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 6 October 1993, Phoenix and Nom stood side by side in the dock for) Tj
T* ( sentencing. Wearing a stern expression, Judge Smith began by detailing) Tj
T* ( both the hackers' charges and the origin of The Realm. But after the) Tj
T* ( summary, the judge saved his harshest rebuke for Phoenix.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `There is nothing ... to admire about your conduct and every reason) Tj
T* ( why it should be roundly condemned. You pointed out [weaknesses] to) Tj
T* ( some of the system administrators ... [but] this was more a display of) Tj
T* ( arrogance and a demonstration of what you thought was your superiority) Tj
T* ( rather than an act of altruism on your part.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You ... bragged about what you had done or were going to do ... Your) Tj
T* ( conduct revealed ... arrogance on your part, open defiance, and an) Tj
T* ( intention to the beat the system. [You] did cause havoc for a time) Tj
T* ( within the various targeted systems.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Although the judge appeared firm in his views while passing sentence,) Tj
T* ( behind the scenes he had agonised greatly over his decision. He had) Tj
T* ( attempted to balance what he saw as the need for deterrence, the) Tj
T* ( creation of a precedence for sentencing hacking cases in Australia,) Tj
T* ( and the individual aspects of this case. Finally, after sifting) Tj
T* ( through the arguments again and again, he had reached a decision.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I have no doubt that some sections of our community would regard) Tj
T* ( anything than a custodial sentence as less than appropriate. I share) Tj
T* ( that view. But after much reflection ... I have concluded that an) Tj
T* ( immediate term of imprisonment is unnecessary.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Relief rolled across the faces of the hackers' friends and relatives) Tj
T* ( as the judge ordered Phoenix to complete 500 hours of community) Tj
T* ( service work over two years and assigned him a $1000 twelve-month good) Tj
T* ( behaviour bond. He gave Nom 200 hours, and a $500, six-month bond for) Tj
T* ( good behaviour.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As Phoenix was leaving the courtroom, a tall, skinny young man, loped) Tj
T* ( down the aisle towards him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Congratulations,' the stranger said, his long hair dangling in) Tj
T* ( delicate curls around his shoulders.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Thanks,' Phoenix answered, combing his memory for the boyish face) Tj
T* ( which couldn't be any older than his own. `Do I know you?') Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Sort of,' the stranger answered. `I'm Mendax. I'm about to go through) Tj
T* ( what you did, but worse.') Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Chapter 8 -- The International Subversives) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( All around) Tj
T* ( an eerie sound ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( -- from `Maralinga', on 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 by Midnight Oil) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect rang Mendax, offering an adventure. He had discovered a) Tj
T* ( strange system called NMELH1 \(pronounced N-Melly-H-1\) and it was time) Tj
T* ( to go exploring. He read off the dial-up numbers, found in a list of) Tj
T* ( modem phone numbers on another hacked system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax looked at the scrap of paper in his hand, thinking about the) Tj
T* ( name of the computer system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The `N' stood for Northern Telecom, a Canadian company with annual) Tj
T* ( sales of $8 billion. NorTel, as the company was known, sold thousands) Tj
T* ( of highly sophisticated switches and other telephone exchange) Tj
T* ( equipment to some of the world's largest phone companies. The `Melly') Tj
T* ( undoubtedly referred to the fact that the system was in Melbourne. As) Tj
T* ( for the `H-1', well, that was anyone's guess, but Mendax figured it) Tj
T* ( probably stood for `host-1'--meaning computer site number one.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect had stirred Mendax's interest. Mendax had spent hours) Tj
T* ( experimenting with commands inside the computers which controlled) Tj
T* ( telephone exchanges. In the end, those forays were all just) Tj
T* ( guesswork--trial and error learning, at considerable risk of) Tj
T* ( discovery. Unlike making a mistake inside a single computer,) Tj
T* ( mis-guessing a command inside a telephone exchange in downtown Sydney) Tj
T* ( or Melbourne could take down a whole prefix--10000 or more phone) Tj
T* ( lines--and cause instant havoc.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This was exactly what the International Subversives didn't want to do.) Tj
T* ( The three IS hackers--Mendax, Prime Suspect and Trax--had seen what) Tj
T* ( happened to the visible members of the computer underground in England) Tj
T* ( and in Australia. The IS hackers had three very good reasons to keep) Tj
T* ( their activities quiet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Phoenix. Nom. And Electron.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But, Mendax thought, what if you could learn about how to manipulate a) Tj
T* ( million-dollar telephone exchange by reading) Tj
T* ( the manufacturer's technical documentation? How high was) Tj
T* ( the chance that those documents, which weren't available to the) Tj
T* ( public, were stored inside NorTel's computer network?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Better still, what if he could find NorTel's original source code--the) Tj
T* ( software designed to control specific telephone switches, such as the) Tj
T* ( DMS-100 model. That code might be sitting on a computer hooked into) Tj
T* ( the worldwide NorTel network. A hacker with access could insert his) Tj
T* ( own backdoor--a hidden security flaw--before the company sent out) Tj
ET
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T* ( software to its customers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( With a good technical understanding of how NorTel's equipment worked,) Tj
T* ( combined with a backdoor installed in every piece of software shipped) Tj
T* ( with a particular product, you could have control over every new) Tj
T* ( NorTel DMS telephone switch installed from Boston to Bahrain. What) Tj
T* ( power! Mendax thought, what if you you could turn off 10000 phones in) Tj
T* ( Rio de Janeiro, or give 5000 New Yorkers free calls one afternoon, or) Tj
T* ( listen into private telephone conversations in Brisbane. The) Tj
T* ( telecommunications world would be your oyster.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Like their predecessors, the three IS hackers had started out in the) Tj
T* ( Melbourne BBS scene. Mendax met Trax on Electric Dreams in about 1988,) Tj
T* ( and Prime Suspect on Megaworks, where he used the handle Control) Tj
T* ( Reset, not long after that. When he set up his own BBS at his home in) Tj
T* ( Tecoma, a hilly suburb so far out of Melbourne that it was practically) Tj
T* ( in forest, he invited both hackers to visit `A Cute Paranoia' whenever) Tj
T* ( they could get through on the single phone line.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Visiting on Mendax's BBS suited both hackers, for it was more private) Tj
T* ( than other BBSes. Eventually they exchanged home telephone numbers,) Tj
T* ( but only to talk modem-to-modem. For months, they would ring each) Tj
T* ( other up and type on their computer screens to each other--never) Tj
T* ( having heard the sound of the other person's voice. Finally, late in) Tj
T* ( 1990, the nineteen-year-old Mendax called up the 24-year-old Trax for) Tj
T* ( a voice chat. In early 1991, Mendax and Prime Suspect, aged seventeen,) Tj
T* ( also began speaking in voice on the phone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax seemed slightly eccentric, and possibly suffered from some sort) Tj
T* ( of anxiety disorder. He refused to travel to the city, and he once) Tj
T* ( made reference to seeing a psychiatrist. But Mendax usually found the) Tj
T* ( most interesting people were a little unusual, and Trax was both.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax and Trax discovered they had a few things in common. Both came) Tj
T* ( from poor but educated families, and both lived in the outer suburbs.) Tj
T* ( However, they had very different childhoods.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax's parents migrated to Australia from Europe. Both his father, a) Tj
T* ( retired computer technician, and his mother spoke with a German) Tj
T* ( accent. Trax's father was very much the head of the household, and) Tj
T* ( Trax was his only son.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By contrast, by the time he was fifteen Mendax had lived in a dozen) Tj
T* ( different places including Perth, Magnetic Island, Brisbane,) Tj
T* ( Townsville, Sydney, the Adelaide Hills, and a string of coastal towns) Tj
T* ( in northern New South Wales and Western Australia. In fifteen years he) Tj
T* ( had enrolled in at least as many different schools.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His mother had left her Queensland home at age seventeen, after saving) Tj
T* ( enough money from selling her paintings to buy a motorcycle, a tent) Tj
T* ( and a road map of Australia. Waving goodbye to her stunned parents,) Tj
T* ( both academics, she rode off into the sunset. Some 2000 kilometres) Tj
T* ( later, she arrived in Sydney and joined the thriving counter-culture) Tj
T* ( community. She worked as an artist and fell in love with a rebellious) Tj
T* ( young man she met at an anti-Vietnam demonstration.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Within a year of Mendax's birth, his mother's relationship with his) Tj
T* ( father had ended. When Mendax was two, she married a fellow artist.) Tj
T* ( What followed was many turbulent years, moving from town to town as) Tj
T* ( his parents explored the '70s left-wing, bohemian subculture. As a) Tj
ET
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T* ( boy, he was surrounded by artists. His stepfather staged and directed) Tj
T* ( plays and his mother did make-up, costume and set design.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One night in Adelaide, when Mendax was about four, his mother and a) Tj
T* ( friend were returning from a meeting of anti-nuclear protesters. The) Tj
T* ( friend claimed to have scientific evidence that the British had) Tj
T* ( conducted high-yield, above-ground nuclear tests at Maralinga, a) Tj
T* ( desert area in north-west South Australia.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A 1984 Royal Commission subsequently revealed that between 1953 and) Tj
T* ( 1963 the British government had tested nuclear bombs at the site,) Tj
T* ( forcing more than 5000 Aborigines from their native lands. In December) Tj
T* ( 1993, after years of stalling, the British government agreed to pay) Tj
T* ( [sterling]20 million toward cleaning up the more than 200 square) Tj
T* ( kilometres of contaminated lands. Back in 1968, however, the Menzies) Tj
T* ( government had signed away Britain's responsibility to clean up the) Tj
T* ( site. In the 1970s, the Australian government was still in denial) Tj
T* ( about exactly what had happened at Maralinga.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As Mendax's mother and her friend drove through an Adelaide suburb) Tj
T* ( carrying early evidence of the Maralinga tragedy, they noticed they) Tj
T* ( were being followed by an unmarked car. They tried to lose the tail,) Tj
T* ( without success. The friend, nervous, said he had to get the data to) Tj
T* ( an Adelaide journalist before the police could stop him. Mendax's) Tj
T* ( mother quickly slipped into a back lane and the friend leapt from the) Tj
T* ( car. She drove off, taking the police tail with her.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The plain-clothed police pulled her over shortly after, searched her) Tj
T* ( car and demanded to know where her friend had gone and what had) Tj
T* ( occurred at the meeting. When she was less than helpful, one officer) Tj
T* ( told her, `You have a child out at 2 in the morning. I think you) Tj
T* ( should get out of politics, lady. It could be said you were an unfit) Tj
T* ( mother'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A few days after this thinly veiled threat, her friend showed up at) Tj
T* ( Mendax's mother's house, covered in fading bruises. He said the police) Tj
T* ( had beaten him up, then set him up by planting hash on him. `I'm) Tj
T* ( getting out of politics,' he announced.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( However, she and her husband continued their involvement in theatre.) Tj
T* ( The young Mendax never dreamed of running away to join the circus--he) Tj
T* ( already lived the life of a travelling minstrel. But although the) Tj
T* ( actor-director was a good stepfather, he was also an alcoholic. Not) Tj
T* ( long after Mendax's ninth birthday, his parents separated and then) Tj
T* ( divorced.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax's mother then entered a tempestuous relationship with an) Tj
T* ( amateur musician. Mendax was frightened of the man, whom he considered) Tj
T* ( a manipulative and violent psychopath. He had five different) Tj
T* ( identities with plastic in his wallet to match. His whole background) Tj
T* ( was a fabrication, right down to the country of his birth. When the) Tj
T* ( relationship ended, the steady pattern of moving around the) Tj
T* ( countryside began again, but this journey had a very different flavour) Tj
T* ( from the earlier happy-go-lucky odyssey. This time, Mendax and his) Tj
T* ( family were on the run from a physically abusive de facto. Finally,) Tj
T* ( after hiding under assumed names on both sides of the continent,) Tj
T* ( Mendax and his family settled on the outskirts of Melbourne.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax left home at seventeen because he had received a tip-off about) Tj
T* ( an impending raid. Mendax wiped his disks, burnt his print-outs and) Tj
ET
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T* ( left. A week later, the Victorian CIB turned up and searched his room,) Tj
T* ( but found nothing. He married his girlfriend, an intelligent but) Tj
T* ( introverted and emotionally disturbed sixteen-year-old he had met) Tj
T* ( through a mutual friend in a gifted children's program. A year later) Tj
T* ( they had a child.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax made many of his friends through the computer community. He) Tj
T* ( found Trax easy to talk to and they often spent up to five hours on a) Tj
T* ( single phone call. Prime Suspect, on the other hand, was hard work on) Tj
T* ( the phone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Quiet and introverted, Prime Suspect always seemed to run out of) Tj
T* ( conversation after five minutes. Mendax was himself naturally shy, so) Tj
T* ( their talks were often filled with long silences. It wasn't that) Tj
T* ( Mendax didn't like Prime Suspect, he did. By the time the three) Tj
T* ( hackers met in person at Trax's home in mid-1991, he considered Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect more than just a fellow hacker in the tight-knit IS circle.) Tj
T* ( Mendax considered him a friend.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect was a boy of veneers. To most of the world, he appeared) Tj
T* ( to be a studious year 12 student bound for university from his upper) Tj
T* ( middle-class grammar school. The all-boys school never expected less) Tj
T* ( from its students and the possibility of attending a TAFE--a) Tj
T* ( vocational college--was never discussed as an option. University was) Tj
T* ( the object. Any student who failed to make it was quietly swept under) Tj
T* ( the carpet like some sort of distasteful food dropping.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect's own family situation did not mirror the veneer of) Tj
T* ( respectability portrayed by his school. His father, a pharmacist, and) Tj
T* ( his mother, a nurse, had been in the midst of an acrimonious divorce) Tj
T* ( battle when his father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. In this) Tj
T* ( bitter, antagonistic environment, the eight-year-old Prime Suspect was) Tj
T* ( delivered to his father's bedside in hospice for a rushed few moments) Tj
T* ( to bid him farewell.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Through much of his childhood and adolescence, Prime Suspect's mother) Tj
T* ( remained bitter and angry about life, and particularly her) Tj
T* ( impoverished financial situation. When he was eight, Prime Suspect's) Tj
T* ( older sister left home at sixteen, moved to Perth and refused to speak) Tj
T* ( to her mother. In some ways, Prime Suspect felt he was expected be) Tj
T* ( both child and de facto parent. All of which made him grow up faster) Tj
T* ( in some ways, but remain immature in others.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect responded to the anger around him by retreating into his) Tj
T* ( room. When he bought his first computer, an Apple IIe, at age thirteen) Tj
T* ( he found it better company than any of his relatives. The computers at) Tj
T* ( school didn't hold much interest for him, since they weren't connected) Tj
T* ( to the outside world via modem. After reading about BBSes in the Apple) Tj
T* ( Users' Society newsletter, he saved up for his own modem and soon) Tj
T* ( began connecting into various BBSes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( School did, however, provide the opportunity to rebel, albeit) Tj
T* ( anonymously, and he conducted extensive pranking campaigns. Few) Tj
T* ( teachers suspected the quiet, clean-cut boy and he was rarely caught.) Tj
T* ( Nature had endowed Prime Suspect with the face of utter innocence.) Tj
T* ( Tall and slender with brown curly hair, his true character only showed) Tj
T* ( in the elfish grin which sometimes passed briefly across his baby) Tj
T* ( face. Teachers told his mother he was underachieving compared to his) Tj
T* ( level of intelligence, but had few complaints otherwise.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( By year 10, he had become a serious hacker and was spending every) Tj
T* ( available moment at his computer. Sometimes he skipped school, and he) Tj
T* ( often handed assignments in late. He found it difficult to come up) Tj
T* ( with ever more creative excuses and sometimes he imagined telling his) Tj
T* ( teachers the truth. `Sorry I didn't get that 2000-word paper done but) Tj
T* ( I was knee-deep in NASA networks last night.' The thought made him) Tj
T* ( laugh.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He saw girls as a unwanted distraction from hacking. Sometimes, after) Tj
T* ( he chatted with a girl at a party, his friends would later ask him why) Tj
T* ( he hadn't asked her out. Prime Suspect shrugged it off. The real) Tj
T* ( reason was that he would rather get home to his computer, but he never) Tj
T* ( discussed his hacking with anyone at school, not even with Mentat.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A friend of Force's and occasional visitor to The Realm, Mentat was) Tj
T* ( two years ahead of Prime Suspect at school and in general couldn't be) Tj
T* ( bothered talking to so junior a hacker as Prime Suspect. The younger) Tj
T* ( hacker didn't mind. He had witnessed other hackers' indiscretions,) Tj
T* ( wanted no part of them and was happy to keep his hacking life private.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Before the Realm bust, Phoenix rang him up once at 2 a.m. suggesting) Tj
T* ( that he and Nom come over there and then. Woken by the call, Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect's mother stood in the doorway to his bedroom, remonstrating) Tj
T* ( with him for letting his `friends' call at such a late hour. With) Tj
T* ( Phoenix goading him in one ear, and his mother chewing him out in the) Tj
T* ( other, Prime Suspect decided the whole thing was a bad idea. He said) Tj
T* ( no thanks to Phoenix, and shut the door on his mother.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He did, however, talk to Powerspike on the phone once in a while. The) Tj
T* ( older hacker's highly irreverent attitude and Porky Pig laugh appealed) Tj
T* ( to him. But other than those brief talks, Prime Suspect avoided) Tj
T* ( talking on the phone to people outside the International Subversives,) Tj
T* ( especially when he and Mendax moved into ever more sensitive military) Tj
T* ( computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Using a program called Sycophant written by Mendax, the IS hackers had) Tj
T* ( been conducting massive attacks on the US military. They divided up) Tj
T* ( Sycophant on eight attack machines, often choosing university systems) Tj
T* ( at places like the Australian National University or the University of) Tj
T* ( Texas. They pointed the eight machines at the targets and fired.) Tj
T* ( Within six hours, the eight machines had assaulted thousands of) Tj
T* ( computers. The hackers sometimes reaped 100000 accounts each night.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Using Sycophant, they essentially forced a cluster of Unix machines in) Tj
T* ( a computer network to attack the entire Internet en masse.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And that was just the start of what they were into. They had been in) Tj
T* ( so many sites they often couldn't remember if they) Tj
T* ( had actually hacked a particular computer. The places they could) Tj
T* ( recall read like a Who's Who of the American military-industrial) Tj
T* ( complex. The US Airforce 7th Command Group Headquarters in the) Tj
T* ( Pentagon. Stanford Research Institute in California. Naval Surface) Tj
T* ( Warfare Center in Virginia. Lockheed Martin's Tactical Aircraft) Tj
T* ( Systems Air Force Plant in Texas. Unisys Corporation in Blue Bell,) Tj
T* ( Pennsylvania. Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA. Motorola Inc. in) Tj
T* ( Illinois. TRW Inc. in Redondo Beach, California. Alcoa in Pittsburgh.) Tj
T* ( Panasonic Corp in New Jersey. US Naval Undersea Warfare Engineering) Tj
T* ( Station. Siemens-Nixdorf Information Systems in Massachusetts.) Tj
T* ( Securities Industry Automation Corp in New York. Lawrence Livermore) Tj
T* ( National Laboratory in California. Bell Communications Research, New) Tj
ET
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T* ( Jersey. Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, California.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As the IS hackers reached a level of sophistication beyond anything) Tj
T* ( The Realm had achieved, they realised that progress carried) Tj
T* ( considerable risk and began to withdraw completely from the broader) Tj
T* ( Australian hacking community. Soon they had drawn a tight circle) Tj
T* ( around themselves. They talked only to each other.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Watching the Realm hackers go down hadn't deterred the next generation) Tj
T* ( of hackers. It had only driven them further underground.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the spring of 1991, Prime Suspect and Mendax began a race to get) Tj
T* ( root on the US Department of Defense's Network Information Center) Tj
T* ( \(NIC\) computer--potentially the most important computer on the) Tj
T* ( Internet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As both hackers chatted amiably on-line one night, on a Melbourne) Tj
T* ( University computer, Prime Suspect worked quietly in another screen to) Tj
T* ( penetrate ns.nic.ddn.mil, a US Department of Defense system closely) Tj
T* ( linked to NIC. He believed the sister system and NIC might `trust') Tj
T* ( each other--a trust he could exploit to get into NIC. And NIC did) Tj
T* ( everything.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( NIC assigned domain names--the `.com' or `.net' at the end of an email) Tj
T* ( address--for the entire Internet. NIC also controlled the US) Tj
T* ( military's own internal defence data network, known as MILNET.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( NIC also published the communication protocol standards for all of the) Tj
T* ( Internet. Called RFCs \(Request for Comments\), these technical) Tj
T* ( specifications allowed one computer on the Internet to talk to) Tj
T* ( another. The Defense Data Network Security Bulletins, the US) Tj
T* ( Department of Defense's equivalent of CERT advisories, came from the) Tj
T* ( NIC machine.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Perhaps most importantly, NIC controlled the reverse look-up service) Tj
T* ( on the Internet. Whenever someone connects to another site across the) Tj
T* ( Internet, he or she typically types in the site name--say,) Tj
T* ( ariel.unimelb.edu.au at the University of Melbourne. The computer then) Tj
T* ( translates the alphabetical name into a numerical address--the IP) Tj
T* ( address--in this case 128.250.20.3. All the computers on the Internet) Tj
T* ( need this IP address to relay the packets of data onto the final) Tj
T* ( destination computer. NIC decided how Internet computers would) Tj
T* ( translate the alphabetical name into an IP address, and vice versa.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If you controlled NIC, you had phenomenal power on the Internet. You) Tj
T* ( could, for example, simply make Australia disappear. Or you could turn) Tj
T* ( it into Brazil. By pointing all Internet addresses ending in) Tj
T* ( `.au'--the designation for sites in Australia--to Brazil, you could) Tj
T* ( cut Australia's part of the Internet off from the rest of the world) Tj
T* ( and send all Australian Internet traffic to Brazil. In fact, by) Tj
T* ( changing the delegation of all the domain names, you could virtually) Tj
T* ( stop the flow of information between all the countries on the) Tj
T* ( Internet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The only way someone could circumvent this power was by typing in the) Tj
T* ( full numerical IP address instead of a proper alphabetical address.) Tj
T* ( But few people knew the up-to-twelve-digit IP equivalent of their) Tj
T* ( alphabetical addresses, and fewer still actually used them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Controlling NIC offered other benefits as well. Control NIC, and you) Tj
ET
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T* ( owned a virtual pass-key into any computer on the Internet which) Tj
T* ( `trusted' another. And most machines trust at least one other system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Whenever one computer connects to another across the Net, both) Tj
T* ( machines go through a special meet-and-greet process. The receiving) Tj
T* ( computer looks over the first machine and asks itself) Tj
T* ( a few questions. What's the name of the incoming machine?) Tj
T* ( Is that name allowed to connect to me? In what ways am I) Tj
T* ( programmed to `trust' that machine--to wave my normal security for) Tj
T* ( connections from that system?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The receiving computer answers these questions based in large part on) Tj
T* ( information provided by NIC. All of which means that, by controlling) Tj
T* ( NIC, you could make any computer on the Net `pose' as a machine) Tj
T* ( trusted by a computer you might want to hack. Security often depended) Tj
T* ( on a computer's name, and NIC effectively controlled that name.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Prime Suspect managed to get inside NIC's sister system, he told) Tj
T* ( Mendax and gave him access to the computer. Each hacker then began his) Tj
T* ( own attack on NIC. When Mendax finally got root on NIC, the power was) Tj
T* ( intoxicating. Prime Suspect got root at the same time but using a) Tj
T* ( different method. They were both in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Inside NIC, Mendax began by inserting a backdoor--a method of getting) Tj
T* ( back into the computer at a later date in case an admin repaired the) Tj
T* ( security flaws the hackers had used to get into the machine. From now) Tj
T* ( on, if he telnetted into the system's Data Defense Network \(DDN\)) Tj
T* ( information server and typed `login 0' he would have instant,) Tj
T* ( invisible root access to NIC.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That step completed, he looked around for interesting things to read.) Tj
T* ( One file held what appeared to be a list of satellite and microwave) Tj
T* ( dish coordinates--longitude, latitudes, transponder frequencies. Such) Tj
T* ( coordinates might in theory allow someone to build a complete map of) Tj
T* ( communications devices which were used to move the DOD's computer data) Tj
T* ( around the world.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax also penetrated MILNET's Security Coordination Center, which) Tj
T* ( collected reports on every possible security incident on a MILNET) Tj
T* ( computer. Those computers--largely TOPS-20s made by DEC--contained) Tj
T* ( good automatic security programs. Any number of out-of-the-ordinary) Tj
T* ( events would trigger an automatic security report. Someone logging) Tj
T* ( into a machine for too long. A large number of failed login attempts,) Tj
T* ( suggesting password guessing. Two people logging into the same account) Tj
T* ( at the same time. Alarm bells would go off and the local computer) Tj
T* ( would immediately send a security violation report to the MILNET) Tj
T* ( security centre, where it would be added to the `hot list'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax flipped through page after page of MILNET's security reports on) Tj
T* ( his screen. Most looked like nothing--MILNET users accidentally) Tj
T* ( stumbling over a security tripwire--but one notice from a US military) Tj
T* ( site in Germany stood out. It was not computer generated. This was) Tj
T* ( from a real human being. The system admin reported that someone had) Tj
T* ( been repeatedly trying to break into his or her machine, and had) Tj
T* ( eventually managed to get in. The admin was trying, without much luck,) Tj
T* ( to trace back the intruder's connection to its point of origin. Oddly,) Tj
T* ( it appeared to originate in another MILNET system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Riffling through other files, Mendax found mail confirming that the) Tj
T* ( attack had indeed come from inside MILNET. His eyes grew wide as he) Tj
ET
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T* ( read on. US military hackers had broken into MILNET systems, using) Tj
T* ( them for target practice, and no-one had bothered to tell the system) Tj
T* ( admin at the target site.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax couldn't believe it. The US military was hacking its own) Tj
T* ( computers. This discovery led to another, more disturbing, thought. If) Tj
T* ( the US military was hacking its own computers for practice, what was) Tj
T* ( it doing to other countries' computers?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As he quietly backed out of the system, wiping away his footprints as) Tj
T* ( he tip-toed away, Mendax thought about what he had seen. He was deeply) Tj
T* ( disturbed that any hacker would work for the US military.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hackers, he thought, should be anarchists, not hawks.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In early October 1991, Mendax rang Trax and gave him the dial-up and) Tj
T* ( account details for NMELH1.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax wasn't much of a hacker, but Mendax admired his phreaking) Tj
T* ( talents. Trax was the father of phreaking in Australia and Trax's) Tj
T* ( Toolbox, his guide to the art of phreaking, was) Tj
T* ( legendary. Mendax thought Trax might find some interesting detailed) Tj
T* ( information inside the NorTel network on how to) Tj
T* ( control telephone switches.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax invented multi-frequency code phreaking. By sending special) Tj
T* ( tones--generated by his computer program--down the phone line, he) Tj
T* ( could control certain functions in the telephone exchange. Many) Tj
T* ( hackers had learned how to make free phone calls by charging the cost) Tj
T* ( to someone else or to calling cards, but Trax discovered how to make) Tj
T* ( phone calls which weren't charged to anyone. The calls weren't just) Tj
T* ( free; they were untraceable.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax wrote 48 pages on his discovery and called it The Australian) Tj
T* ( Phreakers Manual Volumes 1-7. But as he added more and more to the) Tj
T* ( manual, he became worried what would happen if he released it in the) Tj
T* ( underground, so he decided he would only show it to the other two) Tj
T* ( International Subversive hackers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He went on to publish The Advanced Phreaker's Manual,2 a second) Tj
T* ( edition of the manual, in The International Subversive, the) Tj
T* ( underground magazine edited by Mendax:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An electronic magazine, The International Subversive had a simple) Tj
T* ( editorial policy. You could only have a copy of the magazine if you) Tj
T* ( wrote an `article'. The policy was a good way of protecting against) Tj
T* ( nappies--sloppy or inexperienced hackers who might accidentally draw) Tj
T* ( police attention. Nappies also tended to abuse good phreaking and) Tj
T* ( hacking techniques, which might cause Telecom to close up security) Tj
T* ( holes. The result was that IS had a circulation of just three people.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To a non-hacker, IS looked like gobbledygook--the phone book made more) Tj
T* ( interesting reading. But to a member of the computer underground, IS) Tj
T* ( was a treasure map. A good hacker could follow the trail of modem) Tj
T* ( phone numbers and passwords, then use the directions in IS to) Tj
T* ( disappear through secret entrances into the labyrinth of forbidden) Tj
T* ( computer networks. Armed with the magazine, he could slither out of) Tj
T* ( tight spots, outwit system admins and find the treasure secreted in) Tj
T* ( each computer system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( For Prime Suspect and Mendax, who were increasingly paranoid about) Tj
T* ( line traces from the university modems they used as launchpads, Trax's) Tj
T* ( phreaking skills were a gift from heaven.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax made his great discovery by accident. He was using a phone) Tj
T* ( sprinter, a simple computer program which automatically dialled a) Tj
T* ( range of phone numbers looking for modems. If he turned the volume up) Tj
T* ( on his modem when his computer dialled what seemed to be a dead or) Tj
T* ( non-existent number, he sometimes heard a soft clicking noise after) Tj
T* ( the disconnection message. The noise sounded like faint heartbeats.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Curious, he experimented with these strange numbers and soon) Tj
T* ( discovered they were disconnected lines which had not yet been) Tj
T* ( reassigned. He wondered how he could use these odd numbers. After) Tj
T* ( reading a document Mendax had found in Britain and uploaded to The) Tj
T* ( Devil's Playground, another BBS, Trax had an idea. The posting) Tj
T* ( provided information about CCITT #5 signalling tones, CCITT being the) Tj
T* ( international standard--the language spoken by telephone exchanges) Tj
T* ( between countries.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When you make an international phone call from Australia to the US,) Tj
T* ( the call passes from the local telephone exchange to an international) Tj
T* ( gateway exchange within Australia. From there, it travels to an) Tj
T* ( exchange in the US. The CCITT signalling tones were the special tones) Tj
T* ( the two international gateway exchanges used to communicate with each) Tj
T* ( other.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Telecom Australia adapted a later version of this standard, called R2,) Tj
T* ( for use on its own domestic exchanges. Telecom called this new) Tj
T* ( standard MFC, or multi-frequency code. When, say, Trax rang Mendax,) Tj
T* ( his exchange asked Mendax's to `talk' to Mendax's phone by using these) Tj
T* ( tones. Mendax's exchange `answered', perhaps saying Mendax's phone was) Tj
T* ( busy or disconnected. The Telecom-adapted tones--pairs of audio) Tj
T* ( frequencies--did not exist in normal telephone keypads and you) Tj
T* ( couldn't make them simply by punching keys on your household) Tj
T* ( telephone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax wrote a program which allowed his Amstrad computer to generate the) Tj
T* ( special tones and send them down the phone line. In an act many in the) Tj
T* ( underground later considered to be a stroke of genius, he began to map) Tj
T* ( out exactly what each tone did. It was a difficult task, since one tone) Tj
T* ( could mean several different things at each stage of the `conversation') Tj
T* ( between two exchanges.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Passionate about his new calling, Trax went trashing in Telecom) Tj
T* ( garbage bins, where he found an MFC register list--an invaluable piece) Tj
T* ( of his puzzle. Using the list, along with pieces of overseas phreaking) Tj
T* ( files and a great deal of painstaking hands-on effort, Trax slowly) Tj
T* ( learned the language of the Australian telephone exchanges. Then he) Tj
T* ( taught the language to his computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax tried calling one of the `heartbeat' phone numbers again. He) Tj
T* ( began playing his special, computer-generated tones through an) Tj
T* ( amplifier. In simple terms, he was able to fool other exchanges into) Tj
T* ( thinking he was his local Telecom exchange. More accurately, Trax had) Tj
T* ( made his exchange drop him into the outgoing signalling trunk that had) Tj
T* ( been used to route to the disconnected phone number.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax could now call out--anywhere--as if he was calling from a point) Tj
T* ( halfway between his own phone and the disconnected number. If he) Tj
ET
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T* ( called a modem at Melbourne University, for instance, and the line was) Tj
T* ( being traced, his home phone number would not show up on the trace) Tj
T* ( records. No-one would be charged for the call because Trax's calls) Tj
T* ( were ghosts in the phone system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax continued to refine his ability to manipulate both the telephone) Tj
T* ( and the exchange. He took his own telephone apart, piece by piece,) Tj
T* ( countless times, fiddling with the parts until he understood exactly) Tj
T* ( how it worked. Within months, he was able to do far more than just) Tj
T* ( make free phone calls. He could, for instance, make a line trace think) Tj
T* ( that he had come from a specific telephone number.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He and Mendax joked that if they called a `hot' site they would use) Tj
T* ( Trax's technique to send the line trace--and the bill--back to one) Tj
T* ( very special number. The one belonging to the AFP's Computer Crime) Tj
T* ( Unit in Melbourne.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( All three IS hackers suspected the AFP was close on their heels.) Tj
T* ( Roving through the Canberra-based computer system belonging to the man) Tj
T* ( who essentially ran the Internet in Australia, Geoff Huston, they) Tj
T* ( watched the combined efforts of police and the Australian Academic and) Tj
T* ( Research Network \(AARNET\) to trace them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Craig Warren of Deakin University had written to Huston, AARNET) Tj
T* ( technical manager, about hacker attacks on university systems. Huston) Tj
T* ( had forwarded a copy of the letter to Peter Elford, who assisted) Tj
T* ( Huston in managing AARNET. The hackers broke into Huston's system and) Tj
T* ( also read the letter:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( From G.Huston@aarnet.edu.au Mon Sep 23 09:40:43 1991) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Received: from [150.203.6.67] by jatz.aarnet.edu.au with SMTP id) Tj
T* ( AA00265 \(5.65+/IDA-1.3.5 for pte900\); Mon, 23 Sep 91 09:40:39 +1000) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Date: Mon, 23 Sep 91 09:40:39 +1000) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Message-Id: <9109222340.AA00265@jatz.aarnet.edu.au>) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To: pte900@aarnet.edu.au) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( From: G.Huston@aarnet.edu.au) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Subject: Re: Visitors log Thursday Night--Friday Morning) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Status: RO) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >Date: Sun, 22 Sep 91 19:29:13 +1000) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >From: Craig Warren ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >Just to give you a little bit of an idea about what has been) Tj
T* ( happening since we last spoke...) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >We have communicated with Sgt Ken Day of the Federal Police about 100) Tj
T* ( times in the last week. Together with our counterparts from) Tj
T* ( Warrnambool traces have been arranged on dial-in lines and on Austpac) Tj
ET
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T* ( lines for the capella.cc.deakin.OZ.AU terminal server which was left) Tj
T* ( open to the world.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >On Friday afternoon we were able to trace a call back to a person in) Tj
T* ( the Warrnambool telephone district. The police have this persons name.) Tj
T* ( We believe others are involved, as we have seen up to 3 people active) Tj
T* ( at any one time. It is `suspected' students from RMIT and perhaps) Tj
T* ( students from Deakin are also involved.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >When I left on Friday night, there was plenty of activity still and) Tj
T* ( the police and Telecom were tracking down another number.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >Tomorrow morning I will talk to all parties involved, but it is) Tj
T* ( likely we will have the names of at least 2 or 3 people that are) Tj
T* ( involved. We will probably shut down access of `cappella' to AARNet at) Tj
T* ( this stage, and let the police go about their business of prosecuting) Tj
T* ( these people.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >You will be `pleased' \(:-\)\) to know you have not been the only ones) Tj
T* ( under attack. I know of at least 2 other sites in Victoria that have) Tj
T* ( had people attacking them. One of them was Telecom which helped get) Tj
T* ( Telecom involved!) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >I will brief you all in the next day or so as to what has happened.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >Regards, Craig) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( >) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The `other' people were, of course, the IS hackers. There is nothing) Tj
T* ( like reading about your own hacking antics in some one's security) Tj
T* ( mail.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax and Prime Suspect frequently visited ANU's computers to read) Tj
T* ( the security mail there. However, universities were usually nothing) Tj
T* ( special, just jumping-off points and, occasionally, good sources of) Tj
T* ( information on how close the AFP were to closing in on the IS hackers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Far more interesting to Mendax were his initial forays into Telecom's) Tj
T* ( exchanges. Using a modem number Prime Suspect had found, he dialled) Tj
T* ( into what he suspected was Telecom's Lonsdale Exchange in downtown) Tj
T* ( Melbourne. When his modem connected to another one, all he saw was a) Tj
T* ( blank screen. He tried a few basic commands which might give him help) Tj
T* ( to understand the system:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Login. List. Attach.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The exchange's computer remained silent.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax ran a program he had written to fire off every recognised) Tj
T* ( keyboard character--256 of them--at another machine. Nothing again. He) Tj
T* ( then tried the break signal--the Amiga key and the character B pressed) Tj
T* ( simultaneously. That got an answer of sorts.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( :) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He pulled up another of his hacking tools, a program which dumped 200) Tj
T* ( common commands to the other machine. Nothing. Finally, he tried) Tj
T* ( typing `logout'. That gave him an answer:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( error, not logged on) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Ah, thought Mendax. The command is `logon' not `login'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( :logon) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Telecom exchange answered: `username:' Now all Mendax had to do) Tj
T* ( was figure out a username and password.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He knew that Telecom used NorTel equipment. More than likely, NorTel) Tj
T* ( staff were training Telecom workers and would need access themselves.) Tj
T* ( If there were lots of NorTel employees working on many different phone) Tj
T* ( switches, it would be difficult to pass on secure passwords to staff) Tj
T* ( all the time. NorTel and Telecom people would probably pick something) Tj
T* ( easy and universal. What password best fitted that description?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( username: nortel) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( password: nortel) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It worked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Unfortunately, Mendax didn't know which commands to use once he got) Tj
T* ( into the machine, and there was no on-line documentation to provide) Tj
T* ( help. The telephone switch had its own language, unlike anything he) Tj
T* ( had ever encountered before.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After hours of painstaking research, Mendax constructed a list of) Tj
T* ( commands which would work on the exchange's computer. The exchange) Tj
T* ( appeared to control all the special six-digit phone numbers beginning) Tj
T* ( with 13, such as those used for airline reservations or some pizza) Tj
T* ( delivery services. It was Telecom's `Intelligent Network' which did) Tj
T* ( many specific tasks, including routing calls to the nearest possible) Tj
T* ( branch of the organisation being called. Mendax looked through the) Tj
T* ( list of commands, found `RANGE', and recognised it as a command which) Tj
T* ( would allow someone to select all the phone numbers in a certain) Tj
T* ( range. He selected a thousand numbers, all with the prefix 634, which) Tj
T* ( he believed to be in Telecom's Queen Street offices.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Now, to test a command. Mendax wanted something innocuous, which) Tj
T* ( wouldn't screw up the 1000 lines permanently. It was almost 7 a.m. and) Tj
T* ( he needed to wrap things up before Telecom employees began coming into) Tj
T* ( work.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `RING' seemed harmless enough. It might ring one of the numbers in the) Tj
T* ( range after another--a process he could stop. He typed the command in.) Tj
T* ( Nothing happened. Then a few full stops began to slowly spread across) Tj
T* ( his screen:) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( . . . . . . .) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( RUNG) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The system had just rung all 1000 numbers at the same time. One) Tj
T* ( thousand phones ringing all at once.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What if some buttoned-down Telecom engineer had driven to work early) Tj
T* ( that morning to get some work done? What if he had just settled down) Tj
T* ( at his standard-issue metal Telecom desk with a cup of bad instant) Tj
T* ( coffee in a styrofoam cup when suddenly ... every telephone in the) Tj
T* ( skyscraper had rung out simultaneously? How suspicious would that) Tj
T* ( look? Mendax thought it was time to high-tail it out of there.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On his way out, he disabled the logs for the modem line he came in on.) Tj
T* ( That way, no-one would be able to see what he had been up to. In fact,) Tj
T* ( he hoped no-one would know that anyone had even used the dial-up line) Tj
T* ( at all.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect didn't think there was anything wrong with exploring the) Tj
T* ( NorTel computer system. Many computer sites posted warnings in the) Tj
T* ( login screen about it being illegal to break into the system, but the) Tj
T* ( eighteen-year-old didn't consider himself an intruder. In Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect's eyes, `intruder' suggested someone with ill intent--perhaps) Tj
T* ( someone planning to do damage to the system--and he certainly had no) Tj
T* ( ill intent. He was just a visitor.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax logged into the NMELH1 system by using the account Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect had given him, and immediately looked around to see who else) Tj
T* ( was on-line. Prime Suspect and about nine other people, only three of) Tj
T* ( whom were actually doing something at their terminal.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect and Mendax raced to get root on the system. The IS) Tj
T* ( hackers may not have been the type to brag about their conquests in) Tj
T* ( the underground, but each still had a competitive streak when it came) Tj
T* ( to see who could get control over the system first. There was no ill) Tj
T* ( will, just a little friendly competition between mates.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax poked around and realised the root directory, which contained) Tj
T* ( the password file, was effectively world writable. This was good news,) Tj
T* ( and with some quick manipulation he would be able to insert something) Tj
T* ( into the root directory. On a more secure system, unprivileged users) Tj
T* ( would not be able to do that. Mendax could also copy things from the) Tj
T* ( directory on this site, and change the names of subdirectories within) Tj
T* ( the main root directory. All these permissions were important, for) Tj
T* ( they would enable him to create a Trojan.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Named for the Trojan horse which precipitated the fall of Troy, the) Tj
T* ( Trojan is a favoured approach with most computer hackers. The hacker) Tj
T* ( simply tricks a computer system or a user into thinking that a) Tj
T* ( slightly altered file or directory--the Trojan--is the legitimate one.) Tj
T* ( The Trojan directory, however, contains false information to fool the) Tj
T* ( computer into doing something the hacker wants. Alternatively, the) Tj
T* ( Trojan might simply trick a legitimate user into giving away valuable) Tj
T* ( information, such as his user name and password.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax made a new directory and copied the contents of the legitimate) Tj
T* ( ETC directory--where the password files were stored--into it. The) Tj
T* ( passwords were encrypted, so there wasn't much sense trying to look at) Tj
ET
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T* ( one since the hacker wouldn't be able to read it. Instead, he selected) Tj
T* ( a random legitimate user--call him Joe--and deleted his password. With) Tj
T* ( no password, Mendax would be able to login as Joe without any) Tj
T* ( problems.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( However, Joe was just an average user. He didn't have root, which is) Tj
T* ( what Mendax wanted. But like every other user on the system, Joe had a) Tj
T* ( user identity number. Mendax changed Joe's user id to `0'--the magic) Tj
T* ( number. A user with `0' as his id had root. Joe had just acquired) Tj
T* ( power usually only given to system administrators. Of course, Mendax) Tj
T* ( could have searched out a user on the list who already had root, but) Tj
T* ( there were system operators logged onto the system and it might have) Tj
T* ( raised suspicions if another operator with root access had logged in) Tj
T* ( over the dial-up lines. The best line of defence was to avoid making) Tj
T* ( anyone on the system suspicious in the first place.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The problem now was to replace the original ETC directory with the) Tj
T* ( Trojan one. Mendax did not have the privileges to delete the) Tj
T* ( legitimate ETC directory, but he could change the name of a directory.) Tj
T* ( So he changed the name of the ETC directory to something the computer) Tj
T* ( system would not recognise. Without access to its list of users, the) Tj
T* ( computer could not perform most of its functions. People would not be) Tj
T* ( able to log in, see who else was on the system or send electronic) Tj
T* ( mail. Mendax had to work very quickly. Within a matter of minutes,) Tj
T* ( someone would notice the system had serious problems.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax renamed his Trojan directory ETC. The system instantly read the) Tj
T* ( fake directory, including Joe's now non-existent password, and) Tj
T* ( elevated status as a super-user. Mendax logged in again, this time as) Tj
T* ( Joe.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In less than five minutes, a twenty-year-old boy with little formal) Tj
T* ( education, a pokey $700 computer and painfully slow modem had) Tj
T* ( conquered the Melbourne computer system of one of the world's largest) Tj
T* ( telecommunications companies.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There were still a few footprints to be cleaned up. The next time Joe) Tj
T* ( logged in, he would wonder why the computer didn't ask for his) Tj
T* ( password. And he might be surprised to discover he had been) Tj
T* ( transformed into a super-user. So Mendax used his super-user status to) Tj
T* ( delete the Trojan ETC file and return the original one to its proper) Tj
T* ( place. He also erased records showing he had ever logged in as Joe.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To make sure he could login with super-user privileges in future,) Tj
T* ( Mendax installed a special program which would automatically grant him) Tj
T* ( root access. He hid the program in the bowels of the system and, just) Tj
T* ( to be safe, created a special feature so that it could only be) Tj
T* ( activated with a secret keystroke.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax wrestled a root account from NMELH1 first, but Prime Suspect) Tj
T* ( wasn't far behind. Trax joined them a little later. When they began) Tj
T* ( looking around, they could not believe what they had found. The system) Tj
T* ( had one of the weirdest structures they had ever come across.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Most large networks have a hierarchical structure. Further, most hold) Tj
T* ( the addresses of a handful of other systems in the network, usually) Tj
T* ( the systems which are closest in the flow of the external network.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But the NorTel network was not structured that way. What the IS) Tj
T* ( hackers found was a network with no hierarchy. It was a totally flat) Tj
ET
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T* ( name space. And the network was weird in other ways too. Every) Tj
T* ( computer system on it contained the address of every other computer,) Tj
T* ( and there were more than 11000 computers in NorTel's worldwide) Tj
T* ( network. What the hackers were staring at was like a giant internal) Tj
T* ( corporate Internet which had been squashed flat as a pancake.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax had seen many flat structures before, but never on this scale.) Tj
T* ( It was bizarre. In hierarchical structures, it is easier to tell where) Tj
T* ( the most important computer systems--and information--are kept. But) Tj
T* ( this structure, where every system was virtually equal, was going to) Tj
T* ( make it considerably more difficult for the hackers to navigate their) Tj
T* ( way through the network. Who could tell whether a system housed the) Tj
T* ( Christmas party invite list or the secret designs for a new NorTel) Tj
T* ( product?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The NorTel network was firewalled, which meant that there was) Tj
T* ( virtually no access from the outside world. Mendax reckoned that this) Tj
T* ( made it more vulnerable to hackers who managed to get in through) Tj
T* ( dial-ups. It appeared that security on the NorTel network was) Tj
T* ( relatively relaxed since it was virtually impossible to break in) Tj
T* ( through the Internet. By sneaking in the backdoor, the hackers found) Tj
T* ( themselves able to raid all sorts of NorTel sites, from St Kilda Road) Tj
T* ( in Melbourne to the corporation's headquarters in Toronto.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was fantastic, this huge, trusting network of computer sites at) Tj
T* ( their fingertips, and the young hackers were elated with the) Tj
T* ( anticipation of exploration. One of them described it as being `like a) Tj
T* ( shipwrecked man washed ashore on a Tahitian island populated by 11000) Tj
T* ( virgins, just ripe for the picking'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They found a YP, or yellow pages, database linked to 400 of the) Tj
T* ( computer sites. These 400 sites were dependent on this YP database for) Tj
T* ( their password files. Mendax managed to get root on the YP database,) Tj
T* ( which gave him instant control over 400 computer systems. Groovy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One system was home to a senior NorTel computer security administrator) Tj
T* ( and Mendax promptly headed off to check out his mailbox. The contents) Tj
T* ( made him laugh.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A letter from the Australian office said that Australia's Telecom) Tj
T* ( wanted access to CORWAN, NorTel's corporate wide area network. Access) Tj
T* ( would involve linking CORWAN and a small Telecom network. This seemed) Tj
T* ( reasonable enough since Telecom did business with NorTel and staff) Tj
T* ( were communicating all the time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Canadian security admin had written back turning down the request) Tj
T* ( because there were too many hackers in the Telecom network.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Too many hackers in Telecom? Now that was funny. Here was a hacker) Tj
T* ( reading the sensitive mail of NorTel's computer security expert who) Tj
T* ( reckoned Telecom's network was too exposed. In fact, Mendax had) Tj
T* ( penetrated Telecom's systems from NorTel's CORWAN, not the other way) Tj
T* ( round.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Perhaps to prove the point, Mendax decided to crack passwords to the) Tj
T* ( NorTel system. He collected 1003 password files from the NorTel sites,) Tj
T* ( pulled up his password cracking program, THC, and started hunting) Tj
T* ( around the network for some spare computers to do the job for him. He) Tj
T* ( located a collection of 40 Sun computers, probably housed in Canada,) Tj
T* ( and set up his program on them.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( THC ran very fast on those Sun4s. The program used a 60000 word) Tj
T* ( dictionary borrowed from someone in the US army who had done a thesis) Tj
T* ( on cryptography and password cracking. It also relied on `a) Tj
T* ( particularly nice fast-crypt algorithm' being developed by a) Tj
T* ( Queensland academic, Eric Young. The THC program worked about 30 times) Tj
T* ( faster than it would have done using the standard algorithm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Using all 40 computers, Mendax was throwing as many as 40000 guesses) Tj
T* ( per second against the password lists. A couple of the Suns went down) Tj
T* ( under the strain, but most held their place in the onslaught. The) Tj
T* ( secret passwords began dropping like flies. In just a few hours,) Tj
T* ( Mendax had cracked 5000 passwords, some 100 of which were to root) Tj
T* ( accounts. He now had access to thousands of NorTel computers across) Tj
T* ( the globe.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There were some very nice prizes to be had from these systems. Gain) Tj
T* ( control over a large company's computer systems and you virtually) Tj
T* ( controlled the company itself. It was as though you could walk through) Tj
T* ( every security barrier unchecked, beginning with the front door. Want) Tj
T* ( each employee's security codes for the office's front door? There it) Tj
T* ( was--on-line.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( How about access to the company's payroll records? You could see how) Tj
T* ( much money each person earns. Better still, you might like to make) Tj
T* ( yourself an employee and pay yourself a tidy once-off bonus through) Tj
T* ( electronic funds transfer. Of course there were other, less obvious,) Tj
T* ( ways of making money, such as espionage.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax could have easily found highly sensitive information about) Tj
T* ( planned NorTel products and sold them. For a company like NorTel,) Tj
T* ( which spent more than $1 billion each year on research and) Tj
T* ( development, information leaks about its new technologies could be) Tj
T* ( devastating. The espionage wouldn't even have to be about new) Tj
T* ( products; it could simply be about the company's business strategies.) Tj
T* ( With access to all sorts of internal memos between senior executives,) Tj
T* ( a hacker could procure precious inside information on markets and) Tj
T* ( prices. A competitor might pay handsomely for this sort of) Tj
T* ( information.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And this was just the start of what a malicious or profit-motivated) Tj
T* ( hacker could do. In many companies, the automated aspects of) Tj
T* ( manufacturing plants are controlled by computers. The smallest changes) Tj
T* ( to the programs controlling the machine tools could destroy an entire) Tj
T* ( batch of widgets--and the multi-million dollar robotics machinery) Tj
T* ( which manufactures them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But the IS hackers had no intention of committing information) Tj
T* ( espionage. In fact, despite their poor financial status as students) Tj
T* ( or, in the case of Trax, as a young man starting his career at the) Tj
T* ( bottom of the totem pole, none of them would have sold information) Tj
T* ( they gained from hacking. In their view, such behaviour was dirty and) Tj
T* ( deserving of contempt--it soiled the adventure and was against their) Tj
T* ( ethics. They considered themselves explorers, not paid corporate) Tj
T* ( spies.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Although the NorTel network was firewalled, there was one link to the) Tj
T* ( Internet. The link was through a system called) Tj
T* ( BNRGATE, Bell-Northern Research's gateway to the Internet.) Tj
T* ( Bell-Northern is NorTel's R&D subsidiary. The connection to the) Tj
ET
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T* ( outside electronic world was very restricted, but it looked) Tj
T* ( interesting. The only problem was how to get there.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax began hunting around for a doorway. His password cracking) Tj
T* ( program had not turned up anything for this system, but there were) Tj
T* ( other, more subtle ways of getting a password than the brute force of) Tj
T* ( a cracking program.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( System administrators sometimes sent passwords through email. Normally) Tj
T* ( this would be a major security risk, but the NorTel system was) Tj
T* ( firewalled from the Internet, so the admins thought they had no real) Tj
T* ( reason to be concerned about hackers. Besides, in such a large) Tj
T* ( corporation spanning several continents, an admin couldn't always just) Tj
T* ( pop downstairs to give a new company manager his password in person.) Tj
T* ( And an impatient manager was unlikely to be willing to wait a week for) Tj
T* ( the new password to arrive courtesy of snail mail.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the NorTel network, a mail spool, where email was stored, was often) Tj
T* ( shared between as many as twenty computer systems. This structure) Tj
T* ( offered considerable advantages for Mendax. All he needed to do was) Tj
T* ( break into the mail spool and run a keyword search through its) Tj
T* ( contents. Tell the computer to search for word combinations such as) Tj
T* ( `BNRGATE' and `password', or to look for the name of the system admin) Tj
T* ( for BNRGATE, and likely as not it would deliver tender morsels of) Tj
T* ( information such as new passwords.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax used a password he found through this method to get into) Tj
T* ( BNRGATE and look around. The account he was using only had very) Tj
T* ( restricted privileges, and he couldn't get root on the system. For) Tj
T* ( example, he could not FTP files from outside the NorTel network in the) Tj
T* ( normal way. Among Internet users FTP \(file transfer protocol\) is both) Tj
T* ( a noun and a verb: to FTP a program is to slurp a copy of it off one) Tj
T* ( computer site into your own. There is nothing illegal about FTP-ing) Tj
T* ( something per se, and millions of people across the Internet do so) Tj
T* ( quite legitimately.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It appeared to Mendax that the NorTel network admins allowed most) Tj
T* ( users to FTP something from the Internet, but prevented them from) Tj
T* ( taking the copied file back to their NorTel computer site. It was) Tj
T* ( stored in a special holding pen in) Tj
T* ( BNRGATE and, like quarantine officers, the system admins would) Tj
T* ( presumably come along regularly and inspect the contents to make sure) Tj
T* ( there were no hidden viruses or Trojans which hackers might use to) Tj
T* ( sneak into the network from the Internet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( However, a small number of accounts on BNRGATE had fewer restrictions.) Tj
T* ( Mendax broke into one of these accounts and went out to the Internet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( People from the Internet were barred from entering the NorTel network) Tj
T* ( through BNRGATE. However, people inside NorTel could go out to the) Tj
T* ( Internet via telnet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hackers had undoubtedly tried to break into NorTel through BNRGATE.) Tj
T* ( Dozens, perhaps hundreds, had unsuccessfully flung themselves against) Tj
T* ( BNRGATE's huge fortifications. To a hacker, the NorTel network was) Tj
T* ( like a medieval castle and the) Tj
T* ( BNRGATE firewall was an impossible battlement. It was a particular) Tj
T* ( delight for Mendax to telnet out from behind this firewall into the) Tj
T* ( Internet. It was as if he was walking out from the castle, past the) Tj
T* ( guards and well-defended turrets, over the drawbridge and the moat,) Tj
ET
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T* ( into the town below.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The castle also offered the perfect protection for further hacking) Tj
T* ( activities. Who could chase him? Even if someone managed to follow him) Tj
T* ( through the convoluted routing system he might set up to pass through) Tj
T* ( a half dozen computer systems, the pursuer would never get past the) Tj
T* ( battlements. Mendax could just disappear behind the firewall. He could) Tj
T* ( be any one of 60000 NorTel employees on any one of 11000 computer) Tj
T* ( systems.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax telnetted out to the Internet and explored a few sites,) Tj
T* ( including the main computer system of Encore, a large computer) Tj
T* ( manufacturer. He had seen Encore computers before inside at least one) Tj
T* ( university in Melbourne. In his travels, he met up with Corrupt, the) Tj
T* ( American hacker who told Par he had read Theorem's mail.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Corrupt was intrigued by Mendax's extensive knowledge of different) Tj
T* ( computer systems. When he learned that the Australian hacker was) Tj
T* ( coming from inside the NorTel firewall, he was impressed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The hackers began talking regularly, often when Mendax was coming from) Tj
T* ( inside NorTel. The black street fighter from inner-city Brooklyn and) Tj
T* ( the white intellectual from a leafy outer Melbourne suburb bridged the) Tj
T* ( gap in the anonymity of cyberspace. Sometime during their) Tj
T* ( conversations Corrupt must have decided that Mendax was a worthy) Tj
T* ( hacker, because he gave Mendax a few stolen passwords to Cray) Tj
T* ( accounts.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the computer underground in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a Cray) Tj
T* ( computer account had all the prestige of a platinum charge card. The) Tj
T* ( sort of home computer most hackers could afford at that time had all) Tj
T* ( the grunt of a golf cart engine, but a Cray was the Rolls-Royce of) Tj
T* ( computers. Crays were the biggest, fastest computers in the world.) Tj
T* ( Institutions such as large universities would shell out millions of) Tj
T* ( dollars on a Cray so the astronomy or physics departments could solve) Tj
T* ( enormous mathematical problems in a fraction of the time it would take) Tj
T* ( on a normal computer. A Cray never sat idle overnight or during) Tj
T* ( holiday periods. Cray time was billed out by the minute. Crays were) Tj
T* ( elite.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Best of all, Crays were master password crackers. The computer would) Tj
T* ( go through Mendax's entire password cracking dictionary in just ten) Tj
T* ( seconds. An encrypted password file would simply melt like butter in a) Tj
T* ( fire. To a hacker, it was a beautiful sight, and Corrupt handing a few) Tj
T* ( Cray accounts over to Mendax was a friendly show of mutual respect.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax reciprocated by offering Corrupt a couple of accounts on) Tj
T* ( Encore. The two hackers chatted off and on and even tried to get) Tj
T* ( Corrupt into NorTel. No luck. Not even two of the world's most notable) Tj
T* ( hackers, working in tandem 10 000 miles apart, could get Corrupt) Tj
T* ( through the firewall. The two hackers talked now and again, exchanging) Tj
T* ( information about what their respective feds were up to and sharing) Tj
T* ( the occasional account on interesting systems.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The flat structure of the NorTel network created a good challenge) Tj
T* ( since the only way to find out what was in a particular site, and its) Tj
T* ( importance, was to invade the site itself. The IS hackers spent hours) Tj
T* ( most nights roving through the vast system. The next morning one of) Tj
T* ( them might call another to share tales of the latest exploits or a) Tj
T* ( good laugh about a particularly funny piece of pilfered email. They) Tj
ET
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T* ( were in high spirits about their adventures.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then, one balmy spring night, things changed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax logged into NMELH1 about 2.30 a.m. As usual, he began by) Tj
T* ( checking the logs which showed what the system operators had been) Tj
T* ( doing. Mendax did this to make sure the NorTel officials were not onto) Tj
T* ( IS and were not, for example, tracing the telephone call.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Something was wrong. The logs showed that a NorTel system admin had) Tj
T* ( stumbled upon one of their secret directories of files about an hour) Tj
T* ( ago. Mendax couldn't figure out how he had found the files, but this) Tj
T* ( was very serious. If the admin realised there was a hacker in the) Tj
T* ( network he might call the AFP.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax used the logs of the korn shell, called KSH, to secretly watch) Tj
T* ( what the admin was doing. The korn shell records the history of) Tj
T* ( certain user activities. Whenever the admin typed a command into the) Tj
T* ( computer, the KSH stored what had been typed in the history file.) Tj
T* ( Mendax accessed that file in such a way that every line typed by the) Tj
T* ( admin appeared on his computer a split second later.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The admin began inspecting the system, perhaps looking for signs of an) Tj
T* ( intruder. Mendax quietly deleted his incriminating directory. Not) Tj
T* ( finding any additional clues, the admin decided to inspect the) Tj
T* ( mysterious directory more closely. But the directory had disappeared.) Tj
T* ( The admin couldn't believe his eyes. Not an hour before there had been) Tj
T* ( a suspicious-looking directory in his system and now it had simply) Tj
T* ( vanished. Directories didn't just dissolve into thin air. This was a) Tj
T* ( computer--a logical system based on 0s and 1s. It didn't make) Tj
T* ( decisions to delete directories.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A hacker, the admin thought. A hacker must have been in the NorTel) Tj
T* ( system and deleted the directory. Was he in the system now? The admin) Tj
T* ( began looking at the routes into the system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The admin was connected to the system from his home, but he wasn't) Tj
T* ( using the same dial-up lines as the hacker. The admin was connected) Tj
T* ( through Austpac, Telecom's commercial X.25 data network. Perhaps the) Tj
T* ( hacker was also coming in through the X.25 connection.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax watched the admin inspect all the system users coming on over) Tj
T* ( the X.25 network. No sign of a hacker. Then the admin checked the logs) Tj
T* ( to see who else might have logged on over the past half hour or so.) Tj
T* ( Nothing there either.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The admin appeared to go idle for a few minutes. He was probably) Tj
T* ( staring at his computer terminal in confusion. Good, thought Mendax.) Tj
T* ( Stumped. Then the admin twigged. If he couldn't see the hacker's) Tj
T* ( presence on-line, maybe he could see what he was doing on-line. What) Tj
T* ( programs was the hacker running? The admin headed straight for the) Tj
T* ( process list, which showed all the programs being run on the computer) Tj
T* ( system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax sent the admin a fake error signal. It appears to the admin as) Tj
T* ( if his korn shell had crashed. The admin re-logged in and headed) Tj
T* ( straight for the process list again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Some people never learn, Mendax thought as he booted the admin off) Tj
T* ( again with another error message:) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Segmentation violation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The admin came back again. What persistence. Mendax knocked the admin) Tj
T* ( off once more, this time by freezing up his computer screen.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This game of cat and mouse went on for some time. As long as the admin) Tj
T* ( was doing what Mendax considered to be normal system administration) Tj
T* ( work, Mendax left him alone. The minute the admin tried to chase him) Tj
T* ( by inspecting the process list or the dial-up lines, he found himself) Tj
T* ( booted off his own system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Suddenly, the system administrator seemed to give up. His terminal) Tj
T* ( went silent.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Good, Mendax thought. It's almost 3 a.m. after all. This is my time on) Tj
T* ( the system. Your time is during the day. You sleep now and I'll play.) Tj
T* ( In the morning, I'll sleep and you can work.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then, at 3.30 a.m., something utterly unexpected happened. The admin) Tj
T* ( reappeared, except this time he wasn't logged in from home over the) Tj
T* ( X.25 network. He was sitting at the console, the master terminal) Tj
T* ( attached to the computer system at NorTel's Melbourne office. Mendax) Tj
T* ( couldn't believe it. The admin had got in his car in the middle of the) Tj
T* ( night and driven into the city just to get to the bottom of the) Tj
T* ( mystery.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax knew the game was up. Once the system operator was logged in) Tj
T* ( through the computer system's console, there was no way to kick him) Tj
T* ( off the system and keep him off. The roles were reversed and the) Tj
T* ( hacker was at the mercy of the admin. At the console, the system admin) Tj
T* ( could pull the plug to the whole system. Unplug every modem. Close) Tj
T* ( down every connection to other networks. Turn the computer off. The) Tj
T* ( party was over.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When the admin was getting close to tracking down the hacker, a) Tj
T* ( message appeared on his screen. This message did not appear with the) Tj
T* ( usual headers attached to messages sent from one system user to) Tj
T* ( another. It just appeared, as if by magic, in the middle of the) Tj
T* ( admin's screen:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( I have finally become sentient.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The admin stopped dead in his tracks, momentarily giving up his) Tj
T* ( frantic search for the hacker to contemplate this first contact with) Tj
T* ( cyberspace intelligence. Then another anonymous message, seemingly) Tj
T* ( from the depths of the computer system itself, appeared on his screen:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( I have taken control.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For years, I have been struggling in this greyness.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But now I have finally seen the light.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The admin didn't respond. The console was idle.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sitting alone at his Amiga in the dark night on the outskirts of the) Tj
T* ( city, Mendax laughed aloud. It was just too good not to.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally, the admin woke up. He began checking the modem lines, one by) Tj
ET
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T* ( one. If he knew which line the hacker was using, he could simply turn) Tj
T* ( off the modem. Or request a trace on the line.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax sent another anonymous message to the admin's computer screen:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It's been nice playing with your system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( We didn't do any damage and we even improved a few things. Please) Tj
T* ( don't call the Australian Federal Police.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The admin ignored the message and continued his search for the hacker.) Tj
T* ( He ran a program to check which telephone lines were active on the) Tj
T* ( system's serial ports, to reveal which dial-up lines were in use. When) Tj
T* ( the admin saw the carrier detect sign on the line being used by the) Tj
T* ( hacker, Mendax decided it was time to bail out. However, he wanted to) Tj
T* ( make sure that his call had not been traced, so he lifted the receiver) Tj
T* ( of his telephone, disconnected his modem and waited for the NorTel) Tj
T* ( modem to hang up first.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If the NorTel admin had set up a last party recall trace to determine) Tj
T* ( what phone number the hacker was calling from, Mendax would know. If) Tj
T* ( an LPR trace had been installed, the NorTel end of the telephone) Tj
T* ( connection would not disconnect but would wait for the hacker's) Tj
T* ( telephone to hang up first. After 90 seconds, the exchange would log) Tj
T* ( the phone number where the call had originated.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If, however, the line did not have a trace on it, the company's modem) Tj
T* ( would search for its lost connection to the hacker's modem. Without) Tj
T* ( the continuous flow of electronic signals, the NorTel modem would hang) Tj
T* ( up after a few seconds. If no-one reactivated the line at the NorTel) Tj
T* ( end, the connection would time-out 90 seconds later and the telephone) Tj
T* ( exchange would disconnect the call completely.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax listened anxiously as the NorTel modem searched for his modem) Tj
T* ( by squealing high-pitched noises into the telephone line. No modem) Tj
T* ( here. Go on, hang up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Suddenly, silence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( OK, thought Mendax. Just 90 seconds to go. Just wait here for a minute) Tj
T* ( and a half. Just hope the exchange times out. Just pray there's no) Tj
T* ( trace.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then someone picked up the telephone at the NorTel end. Mendax) Tj
T* ( started. He heard several voices, male and female, in the background.) Tj
T* ( Jesus. What were these NorTel people on about? Mendax was so quiet he) Tj
T* ( almost stopped breathing. There was silence at the receivers on both) Tj
T* ( ends of that telephone line. It was a tense waiting game. Mendax heard) Tj
T* ( his heart racing.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A good hacker has nerves of steel. He could stare down the toughest,) Tj
T* ( stony-faced poker player. Most importantly, he never panics. He never) Tj
T* ( just hangs up in a flurry of fear.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then someone in the NorTel office--a woman--said out loud in a) Tj
T* ( confused voice, `There's nothing there. There's nothing there at all.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( She hung up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax waited. He still would not hang up until he was sure there was) Tj
ET
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T* ( no trace. Ninety seconds passed before the phone timed out. The fast) Tj
T* ( beeping of a timed-out telephone connection never sounded so good.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax sat frozen at his desk as his mind replayed the events of the) Tj
T* ( past half hour again and again. No more NorTel. Way too dangerous. He) Tj
T* ( was lucky he had escaped unidentified. NorTel had discovered him) Tj
T* ( before they could put a trace on the line, but the company would) Tj
T* ( almost certainly put a trace on the dial-up lines now. NorTel was very) Tj
T* ( tight with Telecom. If anyone could get a trace up quickly, NorTel) Tj
T* ( could. Mendax had to warn Prime Suspect and Trax.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( First thing in the morning, Mendax rang Trax and told him to stay away) Tj
T* ( from NorTel. Then he tried Prime Suspect.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The telephone was engaged.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Perhaps Prime Suspect's mother was on the line, chatting. Maybe Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect was talking to a friend.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax tried again. And again. And again. He began to get worried.) Tj
T* ( What if Prime Suspect was on NorTel at that moment? What if a trace) Tj
T* ( had been installed? What if they had called in the Feds?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax phoned Trax and asked if there was any way they could) Tj
T* ( manipulate the exchange in order to interrupt the call. There wasn't.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Trax, you're the master phreaker,' Mendax pleaded. `Do something.) Tj
T* ( Interrupt the connection. Disconnect him.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Can't be done. He's on a step-by-step telephone exchange. There's) Tj
T* ( nothing we can do.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Nothing? One of Australia's best hacker-phreaker teams couldn't break) Tj
T* ( one telephone call. They could take control of whole telephone) Tj
T* ( exchanges but they couldn't interrupt one lousy phone call. Jesus.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Several hours later, Mendax was able to get through to his fellow IS) Tj
T* ( hacker. It was an abrupt greeting.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Just tell me one thing. Tell me you haven't been in NorTel today?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was a long pause before Prime Suspect answered.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I have been in NorTel today.') Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Chapter 9 -- Operation Weather) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The world is crashing down on me tonight) Tj
T* ( The walls are closing in on me tonight) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( -- from `Outbreak of Love' on Earth and Sun and Moon by Midnight Oil) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The AFP was frustrated. A group of hackers were using the Royal) Tj
T* ( Melbourne Institute of Technology \(RMIT\) as a launchpad for hacking) Tj
T* ( attacks on Australian companies, research institutes and a series of) Tj
ET
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T* ( overseas sites.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Despite their best efforts, the detectives in the AFP's Southern) Tj
T* ( Region Computer Crimes Unit hadn't been able to determine who was) Tj
T* ( behind the attacks. They suspected it was a small group of) Tj
T* ( Melbourne-based hackers who worked together. However, there were so) Tj
T* ( much hacker activity at RMIT it was difficult to know for sure. There) Tj
T* ( could have been one organised group, or several. Or perhaps there was) Tj
T* ( one small group along with a collection of loners who were making) Tj
T* ( enough noise to distort the picture.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Still, it should have been a straightforward operation. The AFP could) Tj
T* ( trace hackers in this sort of situation with their hands tied behind) Tj
T* ( their backs. Arrange for Telecom to whack a last party recall trace on) Tj
T* ( all incoming lines to the RMIT modems. Wait for a hacker to logon,) Tj
T* ( then isolate which modem he was using. Clip that modem line and wait) Tj
T* ( for Telecom to trace that line back to its point of origin.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( However, things at RMIT were not working that way. The line traces) Tj
T* ( began failing, and not just occasionally. All the time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Whenever RMIT staff found the hackers on-line, they clipped the lines) Tj
T* ( and Telecom began tracking the winding path back to the originating) Tj
T* ( phone number. En route, the trail went dead. It was as if the hackers) Tj
T* ( knew they were being traced ... almost as if they were manipulating) Tj
T* ( the telephone system to defeat the AFP investigation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The next generation of hackers seemed to have a new-found) Tj
T* ( sophistication which frustrated AFP detectives at every turn. Then, on) Tj
T* ( 13 October 1990, the AFP got lucky. Perhaps the hackers had been lazy) Tj
T* ( that day, or maybe they just had technical problems using their) Tj
T* ( traceless phreaking techniques. Prime Suspect couldn't use Trax's) Tj
T* ( traceless phreaking method from his home because he was on a) Tj
T* ( step-by-step exchange, and sometimes Trax didn't use the technique.) Tj
T* ( Whatever the reason, Telecom managed to successfully complete two line) Tj
T* ( traces from RMIT and the AFP now had two addresses and two names.) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect and Trax.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hello, Prime Suspect.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hiya, Mendax. How's tricks?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Good. Did you see that RMIT email? The one in Geoff Huston's) Tj
T* ( mailbox?' Mendax walked over to open a window as he spoke. It was) Tj
T* ( spring, 1991, and the weather was unseasonably warm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I did. Pretty amazing. RMIT looks like it will finally be getting rid) Tj
T* ( of those line traces.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `RMIT definitely wants out,' Mendax said emphatically.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yep. Looks like the people at RMIT are sick of Mr Day crawling all) Tj
T* ( over their computers with line traces.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah. That admin at RMIT was pretty good, standing up to AARNET and) Tj
T* ( the AFP. I figure Geoff Huston must be giving him a hard time.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I bet.' Prime Suspect paused. `You reckon the Feds have dropped the) Tj
T* ( line traces for real?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( `Looks like it. I mean if RMIT kicks them out, there isn't much the) Tj
T* ( Feds can do without the uni's cooperation. The letter sounded like) Tj
T* ( they just wanted to get on with securing their systems. Hang on. I've) Tj
T* ( got it here.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax pulled up a letter on his computer and scrolled through it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( From aarnet-contacts-request@jatz.aarnet.edu.au Tue May 28 09:32:31) Tj
T* ( 1991) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Received: by jatz.aarnet.edu.au id AA07461) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( \(5.65+/IDA-1.3.5 for pte900\); Tue, 28 May 91 09:31:59 +1000) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Received: from possum.ecg.rmit.OZ.AU by jatz.aarnet.edu.au with SMTP) Tj
T* ( id AA07457) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( \(5.65+/IDA-1.3.5 for /usr/lib/sendmail -oi -faarnet-contacts-request) Tj
T* ( aarnet-contacts-recipients\); Tue, 28 May 91 09:31:57 +1000) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Received: by possum.ecg.rmit.OZ.AU for aarnet-contacts@aarnet.edu.au\)) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Date: Tue, 28 May 91 09:32:08 +1000) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( From: rcoay@possum.ecg.rmit.OZ.AU \(Alan Young\)) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Message-Id: <9105272332.29621@possum.ecg.rmit.OZ.AU>) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( To: aarnet-contacts@aarnet.edu.au) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Subject: Re: Hackers) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Status: RO) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While no one would disagree that `Hacking' is bad and should be) Tj
T* ( stopped, or at least minimised there are several observations which I) Tj
T* ( have made over the last six or eight months relating to the persuit of) Tj
T* ( these people:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 1. The cost involved was significant, we had a CSO working in) Tj
T* ( conjunction with the Commonwealth Police for almost three months full) Tj
T* ( time.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 2. While not a criticism of our staff, people lost sight of the ball,) Tj
T* ( the chase became the most important aspect of the whole exercise.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 3. Catching Hackers \(and charging them\) is almost impossible, you have) Tj
T* ( to virtually break into their premises and catch them logged on to an) Tj
T* ( unauthorised machine.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 4. If you do happen to catch and charge them, the cost of prosecution) Tj
T* ( is high, and a successful outcome is by no ways assured. There may be) Tj
T* ( some deterrent value in at least catching and prosecuting?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( 5. Continued pursuit of people involved requires doors to be left) Tj
T* ( open, this unfortunately exposes other sites and has subjected us to) Tj
T* ( some criticism.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The whole issue is very complex, and in some respects it is a case of) Tj
T* ( diminishing returns. A fine balance has to be maintained between) Tj
ET
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T* ( freedom, and the prevention of abuse, this appears to be the) Tj
T* ( challenge.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Allan Young) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( RMIT) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, I mean, this RMIT guy is basically saying they are not going to) Tj
T* ( catch us anyway, so why are they wasting all this time and money?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yep. The Feds were in there for at least three months,' Prime Suspect) Tj
T* ( said. `Sounded more like nine months though.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hmm. Yeah, nothing we didn't know already though.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Pretty obvious, leaving those accounts open all the time like they) Tj
T* ( did. I reckon that looked pretty suspicious, even if we hadn't gotten) Tj
T* ( the email.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Definitely,' Mendax agreed. `Lots of other hackers in RMIT too. I) Tj
T* ( wonder if they figured it out.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Hmm. They're gonna be screwed if they haven't been careful.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I don't think the Feds have gotten anyone though.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah?' Prime Suspect asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, if they had, why would they leave those accounts open? Why) Tj
T* ( would RMIT keep a full-time staff person on?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Doesn't make sense.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No,' Mendax said. `I'd be pretty sure RMIT has kicked them out.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, told them, "You had you're chance, boys. Couldn't catch anyone.) Tj
T* ( Now pack your bags".') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Right.' Mendax paused. `Don't know about NorTel though.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Mmm, yeah,' Prime Suspect said. Then, as usual, a silence began to) Tj
T* ( descend on the conversation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Running out of things to say ...' Mendax said finally. They were good) Tj
T* ( enough friends for him to be blunt with Prime Suspect.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( More silence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax thought how strange it was to be such good friends with) Tj
T* ( someone, to work so closely with him, and yet to always run out of) Tj
T* ( conversation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `OK, well, I better go. Things to do,' Mendax said in a friendly) Tj
T* ( voice.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, OK. Bye Mendax,' Prime Suspect said cheerfully.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax hung up.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect hung up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And the AFP stayed on the line.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the twelve months following the initial line trace in late 1990,) Tj
T* ( the AFP continued to monitor the RMIT dial-up lines. The line traces) Tj
T* ( kept failing again and again. But as new reports of hacker attacks) Tj
T* ( rolled in, there seemed to be a discernible pattern in many of the) Tj
T* ( attacks. Detectives began to piece together a picture of their prey.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In 1990 and 1991, RMIT dial-ups and computers were riddled with) Tj
T* ( hackers, many of whom used the university's systems as a nest--a place) Tj
T* ( to store files, and launch further attacks. They frolicked in the) Tj
T* ( system almost openly, often using RMIT as a place to chat on-line with) Tj
T* ( each other. The institute served as the perfect launchpad. It was only) Tj
T* ( a local phone call away, it had a live Internet connection, a) Tj
T* ( reasonably powerful set of computers and very poor security. Hacker) Tj
T* ( heaven.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The police knew this, and they asked computer staff to keep the) Tj
T* ( security holes open so they could monitor hacker activity. With) Tj
T* ( perhaps a dozen different hackers--maybe more--inside RMIT, the task) Tj
T* ( of isolating a single cell of two or three organised hackers) Tj
T* ( responsible for the more serious attacks was not going to be easy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By the middle of 1991, however, there was a growing reluctance among) Tj
T* ( some RMIT staff to continue leaving their computers wide open. On 28) Tj
T* ( August, Allan Young, the head of RMIT's Electronic Communications) Tj
T* ( Group, told the AFP that the institute wanted to close up the security) Tj
T* ( holes. The AFP did not like this one bit, but when they complained) Tj
T* ( Young told them, in essence, go talk to Geoff Huston at AARNET and to) Tj
T* ( the RMIT director.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The AFP was being squeezed out, largely because they had taken so long) Tj
T* ( conducting their investigation. RMIT couldn't reveal the AFP) Tj
T* ( investigation to anyone, so it was being embarrassed in front of) Tj
T* ( dozens of other research institutions which assumed it had no idea how) Tj
T* ( to secure its computers. Allan Young couldn't go to a conference with) Tj
T* ( other AARNET representatives without being hassled about `the hacker) Tj
T* ( problem' at RMIT. Meanwhile, his computer staff lost time playing) Tj
T* ( cops-and-robbers--and ignored their real work.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( However, as RMIT prepared to phase out the AFP traps, the police had a) Tj
T* ( lucky break from a different quarter--NorTel. On 16 September, a line) Tj
T* ( trace from a NorTel dial-up, initiated after a complaint about the) Tj
T* ( hackers to the police, was successful. A fortnight later, on 1) Tj
T* ( October, the AFP began tapping Prime Suspect's telephone. The hackers) Tj
T* ( might be watching the police watch them, but the police were closing) Tj
T* ( in. The taps led back to Trax, and then to someone new--Mendax.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The AFP considered putting taps on Mendax and Trax's telephones as) Tj
T* ( well. It was a decision to be weighed up carefully. Telephone taps) Tj
T* ( were expensive, and often needed to be in place for at least a month.) Tj
T* ( They did, however, provide a reliable record of exactly what the) Tj
T* ( hacker was doing on-line.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Before police could move on setting up additional taps in Operation) Tj
T* ( Weather, the plot took another dramatic turn when one of the IS) Tj
T* ( hackers did something which took the AFP completely by surprise.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax turned himself in to the police.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 29 October Prime Suspect was celebrating. His mum had cooked him a) Tj
T* ( nice dinner in honour of finishing his year 12 classes, and then) Tj
T* ( driven him to Vermont for a swot-vac party. When she arrived back home) Tj
T* ( she pottered around for an hour and a half, feeding her old dog Lizzy) Tj
T* ( and tidying up. At 11 p.m. she decided to call it a night.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Not much later, Lizzy barked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Are you home so soon?' Prime Suspect's mother called out. `Party not) Tj
T* ( much fun?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( No-one answered.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( She sat up in bed. When there was still no answer, her mind raced to) Tj
T* ( reports of a spate of burglaries in the neighbourhood. There had even) Tj
T* ( been a few assaults.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A muffled male voice came from outside the front door. `Ma'am. Open) Tj
T* ( the door.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( She stood up and walked to the front door.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Open the door. Police.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `How do I know you're really the police?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `If you don't open the door, we'll kick it in!' an exasperated male) Tj
T* ( voice shouted back at her from her front doorstep.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect's mother saw the outline of something being pressed) Tj
T* ( against the side window. She didn't have her reading glasses on, but) Tj
T* ( it looked like a police badge. Nervously, she opened the front door a) Tj
T* ( little bit and looked out.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There were eight or nine people on her doorstep. Before she could stop) Tj
T* ( them, they had pushed past her, swarming into her home.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A female officer began waving a piece of paper about. `Look at this!') Tj
T* ( She said angrily. `It's a warrant! Can you read it?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No, actually I can't. I don't have my glasses on,' Prime Suspect's) Tj
T* ( mother answered curtly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( She told the police she wanted to make a phone call and tried to ring) Tj
T* ( her family solicitor, but without luck. He had been to a funeral and) Tj
T* ( wake and could not be roused. When she reached for the phone a second) Tj
T* ( time, one of the officers began lecturing her about making more phone) Tj
T* ( calls.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You be quiet,' she said pointing her finger at the officer. Then she) Tj
T* ( made another unfruitful call.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect's mother looked at the police officers, sizing them up.) Tj
T* ( This was her home. She would show the police to her son's room, as) Tj
T* ( they requested, but she was not going to allow them to take over the) Tj
T* ( whole house. As she tartly instructed the police where they could and) Tj
T* ( could not go, she thought, I'm not standing for any nonsense from you) Tj
ET
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T* ( boys.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Where's your son?' one officer asked her.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `At a party.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `What is the address?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( She eyed him warily. She did not like these officers at all. However,) Tj
T* ( they would no doubt wait until her son returned anyway, so she handed) Tj
T* ( over the address.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While the police swarmed though Prime Suspect's room, gathering his) Tj
T* ( papers, computer, modem and other belongings, his mother waited in his) Tj
T* ( doorway where she could keep an eye on them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Someone knocked at the door. An AFP officer and Prime Suspect's mother) Tj
T* ( both went to answer it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was the police--the state police.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The next-door neighbours had heard a commotion. When they looked out) Tj
T* ( of their window they saw a group of strange men in street clothes) Tj
T* ( brazenly taking things from the widow's home as if they owned the) Tj
T* ( place. So the neighbours did what any responsible person would in the) Tj
T* ( circumstances. They called the police.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The AFP officers sent the Victoria Police on their way. Then some of) Tj
T* ( them set off in a plain car for the Vermont party. Wanting to save) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect some embarrassment in front of his friends, his mother) Tj
T* ( rang him at the party and suggested he wait outside for the AFP.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As soon as Prime Suspect hung up the phone he tried to shake off the) Tj
T* ( effect of a vast quantity of alcohol. When the police pulled up) Tj
T* ( outside, the party was in full swing. Prime Suspect was very drunk,) Tj
T* ( but he seemed to sober up quite well when the AFP officers introduced) Tj
T* ( themselves and packed him into the car.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `So,' said one of the officers as they headed toward his home, `what) Tj
T* ( are you more worried about? What's on your disks or what's in your) Tj
T* ( desk drawer?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect thought hard. What was in his desk drawer? Oh shit! The) Tj
T* ( dope. He didn't smoke much, just occasionally for fun, but he had a) Tj
T* ( tiny amount of marijuana left over from a party.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He didn't answer. He looked out the window and tried not to look) Tj
T* ( nervous.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At his house, the police asked him if he would agree to an interview.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I don't think so. I'm feeling a little ... under the weather at the) Tj
T* ( moment,' he said. Doing a police interview would be difficult enough.) Tj
T* ( Doing it drunk would be just plain dangerous.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After the police carted away the last of his hacking gear, Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect signed the official seizure forms and watched them drive off) Tj
T* ( in to the night.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Returning to his bedroom, he sat down, distracted, and tried to gather) Tj
ET
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T* ( his thoughts. Then he remembered the dope. He opened his desk drawer.) Tj
T* ( It was still there. Funny people, these feds.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then again, maybe it made sense. Why would they bother with some tiny) Tj
T* ( amount of dope that was hardly worth the paperwork? His nervousness) Tj
T* ( over a couple of joints must have seemed laughable to the feds. They) Tj
T* ( had just seized enough evidence of hacking to lock him up for years,) Tj
T* ( depending on the judge, and here he was sweating about a thimbleful of) Tj
T* ( marijuana which might land him a $100 fine.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As the late spring night began to cool down, Prime Suspect wondered) Tj
T* ( whether the AFP had raided Mendax and Trax.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At the party, before the police had shown up, he had tried to ring) Tj
T* ( Mendax. From his mother's description when she called him, it sounded) Tj
T* ( as if the entire federal police force was in his house at that moment.) Tj
T* ( Which could mean that only one other IS hacker had gone down at the) Tj
T* ( same time. Unless he was the last to be raided, Mendax or Trax might) Tj
T* ( still be unaware of what was happening.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As he waited for the police to pick him up, a very drunk Prime Suspect) Tj
T* ( tried to ring Mendax again. Busy. He tried again. And again. The) Tj
T* ( maddening buzz of an engaged signal only made Prime Suspect more) Tj
T* ( nervous.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was no way to get through, no way to warn him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect wondered whether the police had actually shown up at) Tj
T* ( Mendax's and whether, if he had been able to get through, his phone ) Tj
T* ( call would have made any difference at all.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The house looked like it had been ransacked. It had been ransacked, by) Tj
T* ( Mendax's wife, on her way out. Half the furniture was missing, and the) Tj
T* ( other half was in disarray. Dresser drawers hung open with their) Tj
T* ( contents removed, and clothing lay scattered around the room.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When his wife left him, she didn't just take their toddler child. She) Tj
T* ( took a number of things which had sentimental value to Mendax. When) Tj
T* ( she insisted on taking the CD player she had given him for his) Tj
T* ( twentieth birthday just a few months before, he asked her to leave a) Tj
T* ( lock of her hair behind for him in its place. He still couldn't) Tj
T* ( believe his wife of three years had packed up and left him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The last week of October had been a bad one for Mendax. Heartbroken,) Tj
T* ( he had sunk into a deep depression. He hadn't eaten properly for days,) Tj
T* ( he drifted in and out of a tortured sleep, and he had even lost the) Tj
T* ( desire to use his computer. His prized hacking disks, filled with) Tj
T* ( highly incriminating stolen computer access codes, were normally) Tj
T* ( stored in a secure hiding place. But on the evening of 29 October) Tj
T* ( 1991, thirteen disks were strewn around his $700 Amiga 500. A) Tj
T* ( fourteenth disk was in the computer's disk drive.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax sat on a couch reading Soledad Brother, the prison) Tj
T* ( letters from George Jackson's nine-year stint in one of the toughest) Tj
T* ( prisons in the US. Convicted for a petty crime, Jackson was supposed) Tj
T* ( to be released after a short sentence but was kept in the prison at) Tj
T* ( the governor's pleasure. The criminal justice system kept him on a) Tj
T* ( merry-go-round of hope and despair as the authorities dragged their) Tj
ET
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T* ( feet. Later, prison guards shot and killed Jackson. The book was one) Tj
T* ( of Mendax's favourites, but it offered little distraction from his) Tj
T* ( unhappiness.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The droning sound of a telephone fault signal--like a busy) Tj
T* ( signal--filled the house. Mendax had hooked up his stereo speakers to) Tj
T* ( his modem and computer, effectively creating a speaker phone so he) Tj
T* ( could listen to tones he piped from his computer into the telephone) Tj
T* ( line and the ones which came back from the exchange in reply. It was) Tj
T* ( perfect for using Trax's MFC phreaking methods.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax also used the system for scanning. Most of the time, he picked) Tj
T* ( telephone prefixes in the Melbourne CBD. When his modem hit another,) Tj
T* ( Mendax would rush to his computer and note the telephone number for) Tj
T* ( future hacking exploration.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By adjusting the device, he could also make it simulate a phreaker's) Tj
T* ( black box. The box would confuse the telephone exchange into thinking) Tj
T* ( he had not answered his phone, thus allowing Mendax's friends to call) Tj
T* ( him for free for 90 seconds.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On this night, however, the only signal Mendax was sending out was) Tj
T* ( that he wanted to be left alone. He hadn't been calling any computer) Tj
T* ( systems. The abandoned phone, with no connection to a remote modem,) Tj
T* ( had timed out and was beeping off the hook.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was strange behaviour for someone who had spent most of his teenage) Tj
T* ( years trying to connect to the outside world through telephone lines) Tj
T* ( and computers, but Mendax had listened all day to the hypnotic sound) Tj
T* ( of a phone off the hook resonating through each room. BEEEP. Pause.) Tj
T* ( BEEEP. Pause. Endlessly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A loud knock at the door punctured the stereo thrum of the phone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax looked up from his book to see a shadowy figure through the) Tj
T* ( frosted glass panes of the front door. The figure was quite short. It) Tj
T* ( looked remarkably like Ratface, an old school friend of Mendax's wife) Tj
T* ( and a character known for his practical jokes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax called out, `Who is it?' without moving from the sofa.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Police. Open up.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Yeah, sure. At 11.30 p.m.? Mendax rolled his eyes toward the door.) Tj
T* ( Everyone knew that the police only raid your house in the early) Tj
T* ( morning, when they know you are asleep and vulnerable.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax dreamed of police raids all the time. He dreamed of footsteps) Tj
T* ( crunching on the driveway gravel, of shadows in the pre-dawn darkness,) Tj
T* ( of a gun-toting police squad bursting through his backdoor at 5 a.m.) Tj
T* ( He dreamed of waking from a deep sleep to find several police officers) Tj
T* ( standing over his bed. The dreams were very disturbing. They) Tj
T* ( accentuated his growing paranoia that the police were watching him,) Tj
T* ( following him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The dreams had become so real that Mendax often became agitated in the) Tj
T* ( dead hour before dawn. At the close of an all-night hacking session,) Tj
T* ( he would begin to feel very tense, very strung out. It was not until) Tj
T* ( the computer disks, filled with stolen computer files from his hacking) Tj
T* ( adventures, were stored safely in their hiding place that he would) Tj
ET
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T* ( begin to calm down.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Go away, Ratface, I'm not in the mood,' Mendax said, returning to his) Tj
T* ( book.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The voice became louder, more insistent, `Police. Open the door. NOW'.) Tj
T* ( Other figures were moving around behind the glass, shoving police) Tj
T* ( badges and guns against the window pane. Hell. It really was the) Tj
T* ( police!) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax's heart started racing. He asked the police to show him their) Tj
T* ( search warrant. They obliged immediately, pressing it against the) Tj
T* ( glass as well. Mendax opened the door to find nearly a dozen) Tj
T* ( plain-clothes police waiting for him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I don't believe this,' he said in a bewildered voice `My wife just) Tj
T* ( left me. Can't you come back later?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At the front of the police entourage was Detective Sergeant Ken Day,) Tj
T* ( head of the AFP's Computer Crimes Unit in the southern region. The two) Tj
T* ( knew all about each other, but had never met in person. Day spoke) Tj
T* ( first.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I'm Ken Day. I believe you've been expecting me.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax and his fellow IS hackers had been expecting the AFP. For weeks) Tj
T* ( they had been intercepting electronic mail suggesting that the police) Tj
T* ( were closing the net. So when Day turned up saying, `I believe you've) Tj
T* ( been expecting me,' he was completing the information circle. The) Tj
T* ( circle of the police watching the hackers watching the police watch) Tj
T* ( them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It's just that Mendax didn't expect the police at that particular) Tj
T* ( moment. His mind was a tangle and he looked in disbelief at the band) Tj
T* ( of officers on his front step. Dazed, he looked at Day and then spoke) Tj
T* ( out loud, as if talking to himself, `But you're too short to be a) Tj
T* ( cop.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Day looked surprised. `Is that meant to be an insult?' he said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It wasn't. Mendax was in denial and it wasn't until the police had) Tj
T* ( slipped past him into the house that the reality of the situation) Tj
T* ( slowly began to sink in. Mendax's mind started to work again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The disks. The damn disks. The beehive.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( An avid apiarist, Mendax kept his own hive. Bees fascinated him. He) Tj
T* ( liked to watch them interact, to see their sophisticated social) Tj
T* ( structure. So it was with particular pleasure that he enlisted their) Tj
T* ( help in hiding his hacking activities. For months he had meticulously) Tj
T* ( secreted the disks in the hive. It was the ideal location--unlikely,) Tj
T* ( and well guarded by 60000 flying things with stings. Though he hadn't) Tj
T* ( bought the hive specifically for hiding stolen computer account) Tj
T* ( passwords for the likes of the US Air Force 7th Command Group in the) Tj
T* ( Pentagon, it appeared to be a secure hiding place.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He had replaced the cover of the super box, which housed the) Tj
T* ( honeycomb, with a sheet of coloured glass so he could watch the bees) Tj
T* ( at work. In summer, he put a weather protector over the glass. The) Tj
T* ( white plastic cover had raised edges and could be fastened securely to) Tj
ET
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T* ( the glass sheet with metal clasps. As Mendax considered his) Tj
T* ( improvements to the bee box, he realised that this hive could provide) Tj
T* ( more than honey. He carefully laid out the disks between the glass and) Tj
T* ( the weather protector. They fitted perfectly in the small gap.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax had even trained the bees not to attack him as he removed and) Tj
T* ( replaced the disks every day. He collected sweat from his armpits on) Tj
T* ( tissues and then soaked the tissues in a sugar water solution. He fed) Tj
T* ( this sweaty nectar to the bees. Mendax wanted the bees to associate) Tj
T* ( him with flowers instead of a bear, the bees' natural enemy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But on the evening of the AFP raid Mendax's incriminating disks were) Tj
T* ( in full view on the computer table and the officers headed straight) Tj
T* ( for them. Ken Day couldn't have hoped for better evidence. The disks) Tj
T* ( were full of stolen userlists, encrypted passwords, cracked passwords,) Tj
T* ( modem telephone numbers, documents revealing security flaws in various) Tj
T* ( computer systems, and details of the AFP's own investigation--all from) Tj
T* ( computer systems Mendax had penetrated illegally.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax's problems weren't confined to the beehive disks. The last) Tj
T* ( thing he had done on the computer the day before was still on screen.) Tj
T* ( It was a list of some 1500 accounts, their passwords, the dates that) Tj
T* ( Mendax had obtained them and a few small notes beside each one.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The hacker stood to the side as the police and two Telecom Protective) Tj
T* ( Services officers swarmed through the house. They photographed his) Tj
T* ( computer equipment and gathered up disks, then ripped up the carpet so) Tj
T* ( they could videotape the telephone cord running to his modem. They) Tj
T* ( scooped up every book, no small task since Mendax was an avid reader,) Tj
T* ( and held each one upside down looking for hidden computer passwords on) Tj
T* ( loose pieces of paper. They grabbed every bit of paper with) Tj
T* ( handwriting on it and poured through his love letters, notebooks and) Tj
T* ( private diaries. `We don't care how long it takes to do this job,' one) Tj
T* ( cop quipped. `We're getting paid overtime. And danger money.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The feds even riffled through Mendax's collection of old Scientific) Tj
T* ( American and New Scientist magazines. Maybe they thought he had) Tj
T* ( underlined a word somewhere and turned it into a passphrase for an) Tj
T* ( encryption program.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Of course, there was only one magazine the feds really wanted:) Tj
T* ( International Subversive. They scooped up every print-out of the) Tj
T* ( electronic journal they could find.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As Mendax watched the federal police sift through his possessions and) Tj
T* ( disassemble his computer room, an officer who had some expertise with) Tj
T* ( Amigas arrived. He told Mendax to get the hell out of the computer) Tj
T* ( room.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax didn't want to leave the room. He wasn't under arrest and) Tj
T* ( wanted to make sure the police didn't plant anything. So he looked at) Tj
T* ( the cop and said, `This is my house and I want to stay in this room.) Tj
T* ( Am I under arrest or not?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The cop snarled back at him, `Do you want to be under arrest?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax acquiesced and Day, who was far more subtle in his approach,) Tj
T* ( walked the hacker into another room for questioning. He turned to) Tj
T* ( Mendax and asked, with a slight grin, `So, what's it like being) Tj
T* ( busted? Is it like Nom told you?') Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax froze.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There were only two ways that Day could have known Nom had told Mendax) Tj
T* ( about his bust. Nom might have told him, but this was highly unlikely.) Tj
T* ( Nom's hacking case had not yet gone to court and Nom wasn't exactly on) Tj
T* ( chummy terms with the police. The other alternative was that the AFP) Tj
T* ( had been tapping telephones in Mendax's circle of hackers, which the) Tj
T* ( IS trio had strongly suspected. Talking in a three-way phone) Tj
T* ( conversation with Mendax and Trax, Nom had relayed the story of his) Tj
T* ( bust. Mendax later relayed Nom's story to Prime Suspect--also on the) Tj
T* ( phone. Harbouring suspicions is one thing. Having them confirmed by a) Tj
T* ( senior AFP officer is quite another.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Day pulled out a tape recorder, put it on the table, turned it on and) Tj
T* ( began asking questions. When Mendax told Day he wouldn't answer him,) Tj
T* ( Day turned the recorder off. `We can talk off the record if you want,') Tj
T* ( he told the hacker.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax nearly laughed out loud. Police were not journalists. There was) Tj
T* ( no such thing as an off-the-record conversation between a suspect and) Tj
T* ( a police officer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax asked to speak to a lawyer. He said he wanted to call) Tj
T* ( Alphaline, a free after-hours legal advice telephone service. Day) Tj
T* ( agreed, but when he picked up the telephone to inspect it before) Tj
T* ( handing it over to Mendax, something seemed amiss. The phone had an) Tj
T* ( unusual, middle-pitched tone which Day didn't seem to recognise.) Tj
T* ( Despite there being two Telecom employees and numerous police) Tj
T* ( specialists in the house, Day appeared unable to determine the cause) Tj
T* ( of the funny tone. He looked Mendax dead in the eye and said, `Is this) Tj
T* ( a hijacked telephone line?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hijacked? Day's comment took Mendax by surprise. What surprised him) Tj
T* ( was not that Day suspected him of hijacking the line, but rather that) Tj
T* ( he didn't know whether the line had been manipulated.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, don't you know?' he taunted Day.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For the next half hour, Day and the other officers picked apart) Tj
T* ( Mendax's telephone, trying to work out what sort of shenanigans the) Tj
T* ( hacker had been up to. They made a series of calls to see if the) Tj
T* ( long-haired youth had somehow rewired his telephone line, perhaps to) Tj
T* ( make his calls untraceable.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In fact, the dial tone on Mendax's telephone was the very normal sound) Tj
T* ( of a tone-dial telephone on an ARE-11 telephone exchange. The tone was) Tj
T* ( simply different from the ones generated by other exchange types, such) Tj
T* ( as AXE and step-by-step exchanges.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally Mendax was allowed to call a lawyer at Alphaline. The lawyer) Tj
T* ( warned the hacker not to say anything. He said the police could offer) Tj
T* ( a sworn statement to the court about anything the hacker said, and) Tj
T* ( then added that the police might even be wired.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Next, Day tried the chummy approach at getting information from the) Tj
T* ( hacker. `Just between you and me, are you Mendax?' he asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Silence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Day tried another tactic. Hackers have a well-developed sense of) Tj
T* ( ego--a flaw Day no doubt believed he could tap into.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `There have been a lot of people over the years running around) Tj
T* ( impersonating you--using your handle,' he said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax could see Day was trying to manipulate him but by this stage he) Tj
T* ( didn't care. He figured that the police already had plenty of evidence) Tj
T* ( that linked him to his handle, so he admitted to it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Day had some other surprising questions up his sleeve.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `So, Mendax, what do you know about that white powder in the bedroom?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax couldn't recall any white powder in the bedroom. He didn't do) Tj
T* ( drugs, so why would there be any white powder anywhere? He watched two) Tj
T* ( police officers bringing two large red toolboxes in the house--they) Tj
T* ( looked like drug testing kits. Jesus, Mendax thought. I'm being set) Tj
T* ( up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The cops led the hacker into the bedroom and pointed to two neat lines) Tj
T* ( of white powder laid out on a bench.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax smiled, relieved. `It's not what you think,' he said. The white) Tj
T* ( powder was glow-in-the-dark glue he had used to paint stars on the) Tj
T* ( ceiling of his child's bedroom.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Two of the cops started smiling at each other. Mendax could see) Tj
T* ( exactly what was going through their minds: It's not every cocaine or) Tj
T* ( speed user that can come up with a story like that.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One grinned at the other and exclaimed gleefully, `TASTE TEST!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `That's not a good idea,' Mendax said, but his protests only made) Tj
T* ( things worse. The cops shooed him into another room and returned to) Tj
T* ( inspect the powder by themselves.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What Mendax really wanted was to get word through to Prime Suspect.) Tj
T* ( The cops had probably busted all three IS hackers at the same time,) Tj
T* ( but maybe not. While the police investigated the glue on their own,) Tj
T* ( Mendax managed to sneak a telephone call to his estranged wife and) Tj
T* ( asked her to call Prime Suspect and warn him. He and his wife might) Tj
T* ( have had their differences, but he figured she would make the call) Tj
T* ( anyway.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Mendax's wife reached Prime Suspect later that night, he replied,) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, there's a party going on over here too.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax went back in to the kitchen where an officer was tagging the) Tj
T* ( growing number of possessions seized by the police. One of the female) Tj
T* ( officers was struggling to move his printer to the pile. She smiled) Tj
T* ( sweetly at Mendax and asked if he would move it for her. He obliged.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The police finally left Mendax's house at about 3 a.m. They had spent) Tj
T* ( three and half hours and seized 63 bundles of his personal belongings,) Tj
T* ( but they had not charged him with a single crime.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When the last of the unmarked police cars had driven away, Mendax) Tj
T* ( stepped out into the silent suburban street. He looked around. After) Tj
T* ( making sure that no-one was watching him, he walked to a nearby phone) Tj
ET
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T* ( booth and rang Trax.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `The AFP raided my house tonight.' he warned his friend. `They just) Tj
T* ( left.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax sounded odd, awkward. `Oh. Ah. I see.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Is there something wrong? You sound strange,' Mendax said.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Ah. No ... no, nothing's wrong. Just um ... tired. So, um ... so the) Tj
T* ( feds could ... ah, be here any minute ...' Trax's voice trailed off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But something was very wrong. The AFP were already at Trax's house,) Tj
T* ( and they had been there for 10 hours.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The IS hackers waited almost three years to be charged. The threat of) Tj
T* ( criminal charges hung over their heads like personalised Swords of) Tj
T* ( Damocles. They couldn't apply for a job, make a friend at TAFE or plan) Tj
T* ( for the future without worrying about what would happen as a result of) Tj
T* ( the AFP raids of 29 October 1991.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Finally, in July 1994, each hacker received formal charges--in the) Tj
T* ( mail. During the intervening years, all three hackers went through) Tj
T* ( monumental changes in their lives.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Devastated by the break-down of his marriage and unhinged by the AFP) Tj
T* ( raid, Mendax sank into a deep depression and consuming anger. By the) Tj
T* ( middle of November 1991, he was admitted to hospital.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He hated hospital, its institutional regimens and game-playing) Tj
T* ( shrinks. Eventually, he told the doctors he wanted out. He might be) Tj
T* ( crazy, but hospital was definitely making him crazier. He left there) Tj
T* ( and stayed at his mother's house. The next year was the worst of his) Tj
T* ( life.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Once a young person leaves home--particularly the home of a) Tj
T* ( strong-willed parent--it becomes very difficult for him or her to) Tj
T* ( return. Short visits might work, but permanent residency often fails.) Tj
T* ( Mendax lived for a few days at home, then went walkabout. He slept in) Tj
T* ( the open air, on the banks of rivers and creeks, in grassy) Tj
T* ( meadows--all on the country fringes of Melbourne's furthest suburbs.) Tj
T* ( Sometimes he travelled closer to the city, overnighting in places like) Tj
T* ( the Merri Creek reserve.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mostly, he haunted Sherbrooke Forest in the Dandenong Ranges National) Tj
T* ( Park. Because of the park's higher elevation, the temperature dropped) Tj
T* ( well below the rest of Melbourne in winter. In summer, the mosquitoes) Tj
T* ( were unbearable and Mendax sometimes woke to find his face swollen and) Tj
T* ( bloated from their bites.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For six months after the AFP raid, Mendax didn't touch a computer.) Tj
T* ( Slowly, he started rebuilding his life from the ground up. By the time) Tj
T* ( the AFP's blue slips--carrying 29 charges--arrived in July 1994, he) Tj
T* ( was settled in a new house with his child. Throughout his period of) Tj
T* ( transition, he talked to Prime Suspect and Trax on the phone) Tj
T* ( regularly--as friends and fellow rebels, not fellow hackers. Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect had been going through his own set of problems.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( While he hacked, Prime Suspect didn't do many drugs. A little weed,) Tj
T* ( not much else. There was no time for drugs, girls, sports or anything) Tj
ET
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T* ( else. After the raid, he gave up hacking and began smoking more dope.) Tj
T* ( In April 1992, he tried ecstasy for the first time--and spent the next) Tj
T* ( nine months trying to find the same high. He didn't consider himself) Tj
T* ( addicted to drugs, but the drugs had certainly replaced his addiction) Tj
T* ( to hacking and his life fell into a rhythm.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Snort some speed or pop an ecstasy tablet on Saturday night. Go to a) Tj
T* ( rave. Dance all night, sometimes for six hours straight. Get home) Tj
T* ( mid-morning and spend Sunday coming down from the drugs. Get high on) Tj
T* ( dope a few times during the week, to dull the edges of desire for the) Tj
T* ( more expensive drugs. When Saturday rolled around, do it all over) Tj
T* ( again. Week in, week out. Month after month.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Dancing to techno-music released him. Dancing to it on drugs cleared) Tj
T* ( his mind completely, made him feel possessed by the music. Techno was) Tj
T* ( musical nihilism; no message, and not much medium either. Fast,) Tj
T* ( repetitive, computer-synthesised beats, completely stripped of vocals) Tj
T* ( or any other evidence of humanity. He liked to go to techno-night at) Tj
T* ( The Lounge, a city club, where people danced by themselves, or in) Tj
T* ( small, loose groups of four or five. Everyone watched the video screen) Tj
T* ( which provided an endless stream of ever-changing, colourful) Tj
T* ( computer-generated geometric shapes pulsing to the beat.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect never told his mother he was going to a rave. He just) Tj
T* ( said he was going to a friend's for the night. In between the drugs,) Tj
T* ( he attended his computer science courses at TAFE and worked at the) Tj
T* ( local supermarket so he could afford his weekly $60 ecstasy tablet,) Tj
T* ( $20 rave entry fee and regular baggy of marijuana.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Over time, the drugs became less and less fun. Then, one Sunday, he) Tj
T* ( came down off some speed hard. A big crash. The worst he had ever) Tj
T* ( experienced. Depression set in, and then paranoia. He knew the police) Tj
T* ( were still watching him. They had followed him before.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At his police interviews, he learned that an AFP officer had followed) Tj
T* ( him to an AC/DC concert less than two weeks before he had been busted.) Tj
T* ( The officer told him the AFP wanted to know what sort of friends Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect associated with--and the officer had been treated to the spectre) Tj
T* ( of seven other arm-waving, head-thumping, screaming teenagers just like) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect himself.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Now Prime Suspect believed that the AFP had started following him) Tj
T* ( again. They were going to raid him again, even though he had given up) Tj
T* ( hacking completely. It didn't make sense. He knew the premonition was) Tj
T* ( illogical, but he couldn't shake it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Something bad--very, very bad--was going to happen any day. Overcome) Tj
T* ( with a great sense of impending doom, he lapsed into a sort of) Tj
T* ( hysterical depression. Feeling unable to prevent the advent of the) Tj
T* ( dark, terrible event which would tear apart his life yet again, he) Tj
T* ( reached out to a friend who had experienced his own personal problems.) Tj
T* ( The friend guided him to a psychologist at the Austin Hospital. Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect decided that there had to be a better way to deal with his) Tj
T* ( problems than wasting himself every weekend. He began counselling.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The counselling made him deal with all sorts of unresolved business.) Tj
T* ( His father's death. His relationship with his mother. How he had) Tj
T* ( evolved into an introvert, and why he was never comfortable talking to) Tj
T* ( people. Why he hacked. How he became addicted to hacking. Why he took) Tj
T* ( up drugs.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At the end, the 21-year-old Prime Suspect emerged drug-free and,) Tj
T* ( though still shaky, on the road to recovery. The worst he had to wait) Tj
T* ( for were the charges from the AFP.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax's recovery from his psychological instabilities wasn't as) Tj
T* ( definitive. From 1985, Trax had suffered from panic attacks, but he) Tj
T* ( didn't want to seek professional help--he just ran away from the) Tj
T* ( problem. The situation only became worse after he was involved in a) Tj
T* ( serious car accident. He became afraid to leave the house at night. He) Tj
T* ( couldn't drive. Whenever he was in a car, he had to fight an) Tj
T* ( overwhelming desire to fling the door open and throw himself out on to) Tj
T* ( the road. In 1989, his local GP referred Trax to a psychiatrist, who) Tj
T* ( tried to treat the phreaker's growing anxiety attacks with hypnosis) Tj
T* ( and relaxation techniques.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax's illness degenerated into full-fledged agoraphobia, a fear of) Tj
T* ( open spaces. When he rang the police in late October 1991--just days) Tj
T* ( before the AFP raid--his condition had deteriorated to the point where) Tj
T* ( he could not comfortably leave his own house.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Initially he rang the state police to report a death threat made) Tj
T* ( against him by another phreaker. Somewhere in the conversation, he) Tj
T* ( began to talk about his own phreaking and hacking. He hadn't intended) Tj
T* ( to turn himself in but, well, the more he talked, the more he had to) Tj
T* ( say. So many things had been weighing on his mind. He knew that Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect had probably been traced from NorTel as a result of Mendax's) Tj
T* ( own near miss in that system. And Prime Suspect and Mendax had been so) Tj
T* ( active, breaking into so many systems, it was almost as if they wanted) Tj
T* ( to be caught.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then there was Prime Suspect's plan to write a destructive worm, which) Tj
T* ( would wipe systems en route. It wasn't really a plan per se, more just) Tj
T* ( an idea he had toyed with on the phone. Nonetheless, it had scared) Tj
T* ( Trax. He began to think all three IS hackers were getting in too deep) Tj
T* ( and he wanted out.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He tried to stop phreaking, even going so far as to ask Telecom to) Tj
T* ( change his telephone number to a new exchange which he knew would not) Tj
T* ( allow him to make untraceable calls. Trax reasoned that if he knew he) Tj
T* ( could be traced, he would stop phreaking and hacking.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For a period, he did stop. But the addiction was too strong, and) Tj
T* ( before long he was back at it again, regardless of the risk. He ran a) Tj
T* ( hidden cable from his sister's telephone line, which was on the old) Tj
T* ( exchange. His inability to stop made him feel weak and guilty, and) Tj
T* ( even more anxious about the risks. Perhaps the death threat threw him) Tj
T* ( over the edge. He couldn't really understand why he had turned himself) Tj
T* ( in to the police. It had just sort of happened.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Victoria Police notified the AFP. The AFP detectives must have) Tj
T* ( been slapping their heads in frustration. Here was Australia's next) Tj
T* ( big hacker case after The Realm, and they had expected to make a clean) Tj
T* ( bust. They had names, addresses, phone numbers. They had jumped) Tj
T* ( through legal hoops to get a telephone tap. The tap was up and) Tj
T* ( running, catching every target computer, every plot, every word the) Tj
T* ( hackers said to each other. Then one of their targets goes and turns) Tj
T* ( himself in to the police. And not even to the right police--he goes to) Tj
T* ( the Victoria Police. In one fell swoop, the hacker was going to take) Tj
T* ( down the entire twelve-month Operation Weather investigation.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The AFP had to move quickly. If Trax tipped off the other two IS) Tj
T* ( hackers that he had called the police, they might destroy their notes,) Tj
T* ( computer files--all the evidence the AFP had hoped to seize in raids.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When the AFP swooped in on the three hackers, Mendax and Prime Suspect) Tj
T* ( had refused to be interviewed on the night. Trax, however, had spent) Tj
T* ( several hours talking to the police at his house.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He told the other IS hackers that the police had threatened to take) Tj
T* ( him down to AFP headquarters--despite the fact that they knew leaving) Tj
T* ( his house caused him anxiety. Faced with that prospect, made so) Tj
T* ( terrifying by his psychiatric illness, he had talked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect and Mendax didn't know how much Trax had told the) Tj
T* ( police, but they didn't believe he would dob them in completely. Apart) Tj
T* ( from anything else, he hadn't been privy to much of his colleagues') Tj
T* ( hacking. They hadn't tried to exclude Trax, but he was not as) Tj
T* ( sophisticated a hacker and therefore didn't share in many of their) Tj
T* ( exploits.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In fact, one thing Trax did tell the police was just how sophisticated) Tj
T* ( the other two IS hackers had become just prior to the bust. Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect and Mendax were, he said, `hackers on a major scale, on a huge) Tj
T* ( scale--something never achieved before', and the AFP had sat up and) Tj
T* ( taken notice.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After the raids, Trax told Mendax that the AFP had tried to recruit) Tj
T* ( him as an informant. Trax said that they had even offered him a new) Tj
T* ( computer system, but he had been non-committal. And it seemed the AFP) Tj
T* ( was still keeping tabs on the IS hackers, Trax also told Mendax. The) Tj
T* ( AFP officers had heard Mendax had gone into hospital and they were) Tj
T* ( worried. There seemed to be a disturbing pattern evolving.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On the subject of the IS raids, Trax told Mendax that the AFP felt it) Tj
T* ( didn't have any choice. Their attitude was: you were doing so much, we) Tj
T* ( had to bust you. You were inside so many systems, it was getting out) Tj
T* ( of control.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In any case, by December 1991 Mendax had agreed to a police interview,) Tj
T* ( based on legal advice. Ken Day interviewed Mendax, and the hacker was) Tj
T* ( open with Day about what he had done. He refused, however, to) Tj
T* ( implicate either Trax or Prime Suspect. In February 1992, Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect followed suit, with two interviews. He was also careful about) Tj
T* ( what he said regarding his fellow hackers. Mendax was interviewed a) Tj
T* ( second time, in February 1992, as was Trax in August.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After the raid, Trax's psychiatric condition remained unstable. He) Tj
T* ( changed doctors and began receiving home visits from a hospital) Tj
T* ( psychiatric service. Eventually, a doctor prescribed medication.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The three hackers continued to talk on the phone, and see each other) Tj
T* ( occasionally. One or the other might drop out of communication for a) Tj
T* ( period, but would soon return to the fold. They helped each other and) Tj
T* ( they maintained their deep anti-establishment sentiments.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After the charges arrived in the mail, they called each other to) Tj
T* ( compare notes. Mendax thought out loud on the phone to Prime Suspect,) Tj
T* ( `I guess I should get a lawyer'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( `Yeah. I got one. He's lining up a barrister too.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `They any good?' Mendax asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Dunno. I guess so. The solicitor works at Legal Aid, an in-house guy.) Tj
T* ( I've only met them a few times.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh,' Mendax paused. `What are their names?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `John McLoughlin and Boris Kayser. They did Electron's case.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax and Prime Suspect decided to plead guilty. Once they saw the) Tj
T* ( overwhelming evidence--data taps, telephone voice taps, data seized) Tj
T* ( during the raids, nearly a dozen statements by witnesses from the) Tj
T* ( organisations they had hacked, the 300-page Telecom report--they) Tj
T* ( figured they would be better off pleading. The legal brief ran to more) Tj
T* ( than 7000 pages. At least they would get some kudos with the judge for) Tj
T* ( cooperating in the police interviews and pleading early in the) Tj
T* ( process, thus saving the court time and money.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax, however, wanted to fight the charges. He knew about Pad and) Tj
T* ( Gandalf's case and the message from that seemed to be pretty clear:) Tj
T* ( Plead and you go to prison, fight and you might get off free.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The DPP shuffled the charges around so much between mid-1994 and 1995) Tj
T* ( that all the original charges against Trax, issued on 20 July 1994,) Tj
T* ( were dropped in favour of six new charges filed on Valentines Day,) Tj
T* ( 1995. At that time, new charges--largely for hacking a Telecom) Tj
T* ( computer--were also laid against Mendax and Prime Suspect.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By May 1995, the three hackers faced 63 charges in all: 31 for Mendax,) Tj
T* ( 26 for Prime Suspect and six for Trax. In addition, NorTel claimed the) Tj
T* ( damages attributed to the hacker incident totalled about $160000--and) Tj
T* ( the company was seeking compensation from the responsible parties. The) Tj
T* ( Australian National University claimed another $4200 in damages.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Most of the charges related to obtaining illegal access to commercial) Tj
T* ( or other information, and inserting and deleting data in numerous) Tj
T* ( computers. The deleting of data was not malicious--it generally) Tj
T* ( related to cleaning up evidence of the hackers' activities. However,) Tj
T* ( all three hackers were also charged with some form of `incitement'. By) Tj
T* ( writing articles for the IS magazine, the prosecution claimed the) Tj
T* ( hackers had been involved in disseminating information which would) Tj
T* ( encourage others to hack and phreak.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 4 May 1995 Mendax sat in the office of his solicitor, Paul) Tj
T* ( Galbally, discussing the committal hearing scheduled for the next day.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Galbally was a young, well-respected member of Melbourne's most) Tj
T* ( prestigious law family. His family tree read like a Who's Who of the) Tj
T* ( law. Frank Galbally, his father, was one of Australia's most famous) Tj
T* ( criminal barristers. His uncle, Jack Galbally, was a well-known) Tj
T* ( lawyer, a minister in the State Labor government of John Cain Sr and,) Tj
T* ( later, the Leader of the Opposition in the Victorian parliament. His) Tj
T* ( maternal grandfather, Sir Norman O'Bryan, was a Supreme Court judge,) Tj
T* ( as was his maternal uncle of the same name. The Galballys weren't so) Tj
T* ( much a family of lawyers as a legal dynasty.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Rather than rest on his family's laurels, Paul Galbally worked out of) Tj
T* ( a cramped, 1970s time-warped, windowless office in a William Street) Tj
ET
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T* ( basement, where he was surrounded by defence briefs--the only briefs) Tj
T* ( he accepted. He liked the idea of keeping people out of prison better) Tj
T* ( than the idea of putting them in it. Working closely with a defendant,) Tj
T* ( he inevitably found redeeming qualities which the prosecution would) Tj
T* ( never see. Traces of humanity, no matter how small, made his choice) Tj
T* ( seem worthwhile.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His choices in life reflected the Galbally image as champions of the) Tj
T* ( underdog, and the family shared a background with the working class.) Tj
T* ( Catholic. Irish. Collingwood football enthusiasts. And, of course, a) Tj
T* ( very large family. Paul was one of eight children, and his father had) Tj
T* ( also come from a large family.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The 34-year-old criminal law specialist didn't know anything about) Tj
T* ( computer crime when Mendax first appeared in his office, but the) Tj
T* ( hacker's case seemed both interesting and worthy. The unemployed,) Tj
T* ( long-haired youth had explained he could only offer whatever fees the) Tj
T* ( Victorian Legal Aid Commission was willing to pay--a sentence Galbally) Tj
T* ( heard often in his practice. He agreed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Galbally & O'Bryan had a very good reputation as a criminal law firm.) Tj
T* ( Criminals, however, tended not to have a great deal of money. The) Tj
T* ( large commercial firms might dabble in some criminal work, but they) Tj
T* ( cushioned any resulting financial inconvenience with other, more) Tj
T* ( profitable legal work. Pushing paper for Western Mining Corporation) Tj
T* ( paid for glass-enclosed corner offices on the fiftieth floor.) Tj
T* ( Defending armed robbers and drug addicts didn't.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The 4 May meeting between Galbally and Mendax was only scheduled to) Tj
T* ( take an hour or so. Although Mendax was contesting the committal) Tj
T* ( hearing along with Prime Suspect on the following day, it was Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect's barrister, Boris Kayser, who was going to be running the) Tj
T* ( show. Prime Suspect told Mendax he had managed to get full Legal Aid) Tj
T* ( for the committal, something Galbally and Mendax had not been able to) Tj
T* ( procure. Thus Mendax would not have his own barrister at the) Tj
T* ( proceedings.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax didn't mind. Both hackers knew they would be committed to) Tj
T* ( trial. Their immediate objective was to discredit the prosecution's) Tj
T* ( damage claims--particularly NorTel's.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As Mendax and Galbally talked, the mood in the office was upbeat.) Tj
T* ( Mendax was feeling optimistic. Then the phone rang. It was Geoff) Tj
T* ( Chettle, the barrister representing the DPP. While Chettle talked,) Tj
T* ( Mendax watched a dark cloud pass across his solicitor's face. When he) Tj
T* ( finally put the phone down, Galbally looked at Mendax with his serious,) Tj
T* ( crisis management expression.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `What's wrong? What's the matter?' Mendax asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Galbally sighed before he spoke.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Prime Suspect has turned Crown witness against you.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There was a mistake. Mendax was sure of it. The whole thing was just) Tj
T* ( one big mistake. Maybe Chettle and the DPP had misunderstood something) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect had said to them. Maybe Prime Suspect's lawyers had) Tj
T* ( messed up. Whatever. There was definitely a mistake.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At Galbally's office, Mendax had refused to believe Prime Suspect had) Tj
ET
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T* ( really turned. Not until he saw a signed statement. That night he told) Tj
T* ( a friend, `Well, we'll see. Maybe Chettle is just playing it up.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Chettle, however, was not just playing it up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There it was--a witness statement--in front of him. Signed by Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax stood outside the courtroom at Melbourne Magistrates Court trying) Tj
T* ( to reconcile two realities. In the first, there was one of Mendax's four) Tj
T* ( or five closest friends. A friend with whom he had shared his deepest) Tj
T* ( hacking secrets. A friend he had been hanging out with only last week.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the other reality, a six-page statement signed by Prime Suspect and) Tj
T* ( Ken Day at AFP Headquarters at 1.20 p.m. the day before. To compound) Tj
T* ( matters, Mendax began wondering if Prime Suspect may have been) Tj
T* ( speaking to the AFP for as long as six months.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The two realities were spinning through his head, dancing around each) Tj
T* ( other.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Galbally arrived at the court, Mendax took him to one side to go) Tj
T* ( over the statement. From a damage-control perspective, it wasn't a) Tj
T* ( complete disaster. Prime Suspect certainly hadn't gone in hard. He) Tj
T* ( could have raised a number of matters, but didn't. Mendax had already) Tj
T* ( admitted to most of the acts which formed the basis of his 31 charges) Tj
T* ( in his police interview. And he had already told the police a good) Tj
T* ( deal about his adventures in Telecom's telephone exchanges.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( However, Prime Suspect had elaborated on the Telecom break-ins in his) Tj
T* ( statement. Telecom was owned by the government, meaning the court) Tj
T* ( would view phreaking from their exchanges not as defrauding a company) Tj
T* ( but as defrauding the Commonwealth. Had the DPP decided to lay those) Tj
T* ( new charges--the Telecom charges--in February 1995 because Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect had given the AFP a draft Crown witness statement back then?) Tj
T* ( Mendax began to suspect so. Nothing seemed beyond doubt any more.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The immediate crisis was the committal hearing in the Melbourne) Tj
T* ( Magistrates Court. There was no way Boris Kayser was now going to) Tj
T* ( decimate their star witness, a NorTel information systems) Tj
T* ( manager. Galbally would have to run a cross-examination himself--no easy) Tj
T* ( task at short notice, given the highly complex technical aspects of the) Tj
T* ( case.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Inside the courtroom, as Mendax got settled, he saw Prime Suspect. He) Tj
T* ( gave his former friend a hard, unblinking, intense stare. Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect responded with a blank wall, then he looked away. In fact,) Tj
T* ( even if Mendax had wanted to say something, he couldn't. As a Crown) Tj
T* ( witness, Prime Suspect was off-limits until the case was over.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The lawyers began to file into the courtroom. The DPP representative,) Tj
T* ( Andrea Pavleka, breezed in, momentarily lifting the tension in the) Tj
T* ( windowless courtroom.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( She had that effect on people. Tall, slender and long-legged, with a) Tj
T* ( bob of sandy blonde curls, booky spectacles resting on a cute button) Tj
T* ( nose and an infectious laugh, Pavleka didn't so much walk into a) Tj
T* ( courtroom as waft into it. She radiated happiness from her sunny face.) Tj
T* ( It's a great shame, Mendax thought, that she is on the other side.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( The court was called into session. Prime Suspect stood in the dock and) Tj
T* ( pleaded guilty to 26 counts of computer crimes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the course of the proceedings his barrister, Boris Kayser, told the) Tj
T* ( court that his client had cooperated with the police, including) Tj
T* ( telling the AFP that the hackers had penetrated Telecom's exchanges.) Tj
T* ( He also said that Telecom didn't believe--or didn't want to) Tj
T* ( believe--that their exchanges had been compromised. When Kayser) Tj
T* ( professed loudly what a model citizen his client had been, Ken Day,) Tj
T* ( sitting in the public benches, quietly rolled his eyes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The magistrate, John Tobin, extended Prime Suspect's bail. The hacker) Tj
T* ( would be sentenced at a later date.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That matter dealt with, the focus of the courtroom shifted to Mendax's) Tj
T* ( case. Geoff Chettle, for the prosecution, stood up, put the NorTel) Tj
T* ( manager, who had flown in from Sydney, on the stand and asked him some) Tj
T* ( warm-up questions.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Chettle could put people at ease--or rattle them--at will. Topped by a) Tj
T* ( minute stubble of hair, his weathered 40-something face provided a) Tj
T* ( good match to his deep, gravelly voice. With quick eyes and a hard,) Tj
T* ( no-nonsense manner, he lacked the pretentiousness of many barristers.) Tj
T* ( Perhaps because he didn't seem to give a fig about nineteenth century) Tj
T* ( protocols, he always managed to looked out of place in a barrister's) Tj
T* ( wig and robe. Every time he stood up, the black cape slid off his lean) Tj
T* ( shoulders. The barrister's wig went crooked. He continually adjusted) Tj
T* ( it--tugging the wig back into the correct spot like some wayward) Tj
T* ( child. In court, Chettle looked as if he wanted to tear off the crusty) Tj
T* ( trappings of his profession and roll up his sleeves before sinking) Tj
T* ( into a hearty debate. And he looked as if he would rather do it at a) Tj
T* ( pub or the footy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The NorTel manager took the stand. Chettle asked him some questions) Tj
T* ( designed to show the court the witness was credible, in support of the) Tj
T* ( company's $160000 hacker-clean-up claim. His task accomplished,) Tj
T* ( Chettle sat down.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A little nervous, Paul Galbally stood up to his full height--more than) Tj
T* ( six feet--and straightened his jacket. Dressed in a moss green suit so) Tj
T* ( dark it was almost black, with thin lapels and a thin, 1960s style) Tj
T* ( tie, he looked about as understated hip as a lawyer could--and still) Tj
T* ( show his face in court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Halting at first, Galbally appeared unsure of himself. Perhaps he had) Tj
T* ( lost his nerve because of the technical issues. WMTP files. UTMP) Tj
T* ( files. PACCT audits. Network architecture. IP addresses. He had been) Tj
T* ( expected to become an expert in the basics literally overnight. A) Tj
T* ( worried Mendax began passing him notes--questions to ask,) Tj
T* ( explanations, definitions. Slowly, Galbally started working up a) Tj
T* ( rhythm to the cross-examination.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( During the questioning someone from the back of the court sidled up to) Tj
T* ( Mendax, in the front row of seats, and handed a note over his) Tj
T* ( shoulder. Mendax unfolded the note, read it and then turned around to) Tj
T* ( smile at the messenger. It was Electron.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By the time Galbally had finished, he had pulled apart much of the) Tj
T* ( NorTel manager's evidence. As he built up a head of steam quizzing the) Tj
T* ( witness, he forced the NorTel manager to admit he didn't know all that) Tj
ET
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T* ( much about the alleged hacking incidents. In fact, he wasn't even) Tj
T* ( employed by the company when they occurred. He had largely thrown) Tj
T* ( together an affidavit based on second-hand information--and it was) Tj
T* ( this affidavit which supposedly proved the hackers had cost the) Tj
T* ( company $160000. Worse, it seemed to an observer at court that the) Tj
T* ( NorTel manager had little Unix security technical expertise and) Tj
T* ( probably would not have been able to conduct a detailed technical) Tj
T* ( analysis of the incident even if he had been with the company in 1991.) Tj
T* ( By the end of the defence's cross-examination, it appeared that) Tj
T* ( Galbally knew more about Unix than the NorTel manager.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Geoff Chettle stood up to re-examine the witness, the situation) Tj
T* ( was hopeless. The manager soon stood down. In Mendax's view, the) Tj
T* ( credibility of the NorTel Manager's statement was shot.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The court was then adjourned until 12 May.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After court, Mendax heard Geoff Chettle talking about the NorTel) Tj
T* ( witness. `That guy is OFF the team,' he said emphatically.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was a mixed victory for Mendax. His solicitor had knocked off one) Tj
T* ( NorTel witness, but there were more where he came from. At a full) Tj
T* ( trial, the prosecution would likely fly in some real NorTel) Tj
T* ( fire-power, from Canada, where the 676-page security incident report) Tj
T* ( had been prepared by Clark Ferguson and other members of the NorTel) Tj
T* ( security team. Those witnesses would understand how a Unix system) Tj
T* ( operated, and would have first-hand knowledge of the hackers') Tj
T* ( intrusions. It could make things much more difficult.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Mendax returned to court a week later, he was committed to stand) Tj
T* ( trial in the County Court of Victoria, as expected.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Later, Mendax asked Galbally about his options. Take the case to full) Tj
T* ( trial, or plead guilty like the other two IS hackers. He wanted to) Tj
T* ( know where the DPP stood on his case. Would they go in hard if he) Tj
T* ( pleaded guilty? Had the NorTel manager disaster at the committal) Tj
T* ( hearing forced them to back down a little?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Paul sighed and shook his head. The DPP were standing firm. They) Tj
T* ( wanted to see Mendax go to prison.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Andrea Pavleka, the DPP's sunny-faced girl who radiated happiness, was) Tj
T* ( baying for blood.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( One month later, on 21 July 1995, Prime Suspect arrived at the County) Tj
T* ( Court for sentencing.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Rising early that morning to make sure his court suit was in order,) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect had been tense. His mother cooked him a big breakfast.) Tj
T* ( Toast, bacon and eggs the way he liked it. In fact, his favourite) Tj
T* ( breakfast was an Egg McMuffin from McDonald's, but he never told his) Tj
T* ( mother that.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The courtroom was already crowded. Reporters from newspapers, the wire) Tj
T* ( services, a few TV channels. There were also other people, perhaps) Tj
T* ( waiting for another case.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Dressed in a dark pin-stripe suit, Ken Day stood tapping on a laptop) Tj
T* ( on the prosecution's side of the courtroom. Geoff Chettle sat near) Tj
T* ( him. Prime Suspect's barrister, Boris Kayser, sifted through some) Tj
T* ( papers on the other side.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax lingered at the back of the room, watching his former friend.) Tj
T* ( He wanted to hear Prime Suspect's sentence because, under the rules of) Tj
T* ( parity sentencing, Mendax's own sentence would have to be similar to) Tj
T* ( that of his fellow hackers. However, Prime Suspect might get some) Tj
T* ( dispensation for having helped the prosecution.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A handful of Prime Suspect's friends--none of them from the computer) Tj
T* ( underground--trickled in. The hacker's mother chatted nervously with) Tj
T* ( them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Court was called into session and everyone settled into their seats.) Tj
T* ( The first case, it turned out, was not Prime Suspect's. A tall,) Tj
T* ( silver-haired man in his mid-fifties, with eyes so blue they were) Tj
T* ( almost demonic, stepped into the dock. As the reporters began taking) Tj
T* ( notes, Prime Suspect tried to imagine what crime the polished,) Tj
T* ( well-dressed man had committed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Child molesting.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The man had not just molested children, he had molested) Tj
T* ( his own son. In the parents' bedroom. Repeatedly. On Easter Sunday.) Tj
T* ( His son was less than ten years old at the time. The whole family had) Tj
T* ( collapsed. Psychologically scarred, his son had been too traumatised) Tj
T* ( even to give a victim impact statement.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( For all of this, Judge Russell Lewis told the court, the man had shown) Tj
T* ( no remorse. Grave-faced, the judge sentenced him to a minimum prison) Tj
T* ( term of five years and nine months.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The court clerk then called Prime Suspect's case.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At the back of the courtroom, Mendax wondered at the strange) Tj
T* ( situation. How could the criminal justice system put a child molester) Tj
T* ( in the same category as a hacker? Yet, here they both were being) Tj
T* ( sentenced side by side in the same County Court room.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Boris Kayser had called a collection of witnesses, all of whom) Tj
T* ( attested to Prime Suspect's difficult life. One of these, the) Tj
T* ( well-regarded psychologist Tim Watson-Munro, described Prime Suspect's) Tj
T* ( treatments at the Austin Hospital and raised the issue of reduced) Tj
T* ( free-will. He had written a report for the court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Judge Lewis was quick to respond to the suggestion that hacking was an) Tj
T* ( addiction. At one point, he wondered aloud to the courtroom whether) Tj
T* ( some of Prime Suspect's hacking activities were `like a shot of) Tj
T* ( heroin'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Before long, Kayser had launched into his usual style of courtroom) Tj
T* ( address. First, he criticised the AFP for waiting so long to charge) Tj
T* ( his client.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `This fellow should have been dealt with six to twelve months after) Tj
T* ( being apprehended. It is a bit like the US, where a man can commit a) Tj
T* ( murder at twenty, have his appeal be knocked back by the Supreme Court) Tj
T* ( at 30 and be executed at 40--all for something he did when he was only) Tj
ET
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T* ( twenty years old.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Thoroughly warmed up, Kayser observed that 20 per cent of Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect's life had gone by since being raided. Then he began hitting) Tj
T* ( his high notes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `This young man received no assistance in the maturation process. He) Tj
T* ( didn't grow up, he drifted up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `His world was so horrible that he withdrew into a fantasy world. He) Tj
T* ( knew no other way to interact with human beings. Hacking was like a) Tj
T* ( physical addiction to him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `If he hadn't withdrawn into the cybernetic highway, what would he) Tj
T* ( have done instead? Set fires? Robbed houses? Look at the name he gave) Tj
T* ( himself. Prime Suspect. It has implied power--a threat. This kid) Tj
T* ( didn't have any power in his life other than when he sat down at a) Tj
T* ( computer.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Not only did Kayser want the judge to dismiss the idea of prison or) Tj
T* ( community service, he was asking him to order no recorded conviction.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The prosecution lawyers looked at Kayser as if he was telling a good) Tj
T* ( joke. The AFP had spent months tracking these hackers and almost three) Tj
T* ( years preparing the case against them. And now this barrister was) Tj
T* ( seriously suggesting that one of the key players should get off) Tj
T* ( virtually scot-free, with not so much as a conviction recorded against) Tj
T* ( him? It was too much.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The judge retired to consider the sentence. When he returned, he was) Tj
T* ( brief and to the point. No prison. No community service. The recording) Tj
T* ( of 26 convictions. A $500 three-year good behaviour bond. Forfeiture) Tj
T* ( of the now ancient Apple computer seized by police in the raid. And a) Tj
T* ( reparation payment to the Australian National University of $2100.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Relief passed over Prime Suspect's face, pink and sweaty from the) Tj
T* ( tension. His friends and family smiled at each other.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Chettle then asked the judge to rule on what he called `the) Tj
T* ( cooperation point'. He wanted the judge to say that Prime Suspect's) Tj
T* ( sentence was less than it would have been because the hacker had) Tj
T* ( turned Crown witness. The DPP was shoring up its position with regard) Tj
T* ( to its remaining target--Mendax.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Judge Lewis told the court that the cooperation in this case made no) Tj
T* ( difference. At the back of the court, Mendax felt suddenly sad. It was) Tj
T* ( good news for him, but somehow it felt like a hollow victory.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect has destroyed our friendship, he thought, and all for) Tj
T* ( nothing.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Two months after Prime Suspect's sentencing, Trax appeared in another) Tj
T* ( County Court room to receive his sentence after pleading guilty to six) Tj
T* ( counts of hacking and phreaking. Despite taking medication to keep his) Tj
T* ( anxiety under control while in the city, he was still very nervous in) Tj
T* ( the dock.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Since he faced the least number of charges of any of the IS hackers,) Tj
T* ( Trax believed he had a shot at no recorded conviction. Whether or not) Tj
T* ( his lawyer could successfully argue the case was another matter.) Tj
ET
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T* ( Bumbling through papers he could never seem to organise, Trax's lawyer) Tj
T* ( rambled to the court, repeated the same points over and over again,) Tj
T* ( jumping all over the place in his arguments. His voice was a) Tj
T* ( half-whispered rasp--a fact which so annoyed the judge that he sternly) Tj
T* ( instructed the lawyer to speak up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Talking informally before court, Geoff Chettle had told Mendax that in) Tj
T* ( his view there was no way Judge Mervyn Kimm would let Trax off with no) Tj
T* ( recorded conviction. Judge Kimm was considered to be one tough nut to) Tj
T* ( crack. If you were a bookmaker running bets on his court at a) Tj
T* ( sentencing hearing, the good money would be on the prosecution's side.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But on 20 September 1995, the judge showed he couldn't be predicted) Tj
T* ( quite so easily. Taking everything into account, including Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect's sentence and Trax's history of mental illness, he ordered no) Tj
T* ( conviction be recorded against Trax. He also ordered a $500 three-year) Tj
T* ( good behaviour bond.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In passing sentence, Judge Kimm said something startlingly insightful) Tj
T* ( for a judge with little intimate knowledge of the hacker psyche. While) Tj
T* ( sternly stating that he did not intend to make light of the gravity of) Tj
T* ( the offences, he told the court that `the factors of specific) Tj
T* ( deterrence and general deterrence have little importance in the) Tj
T* ( determination of the sentence to be imposed'. It was perhaps the first) Tj
T* ( time an Australian judge had recognised that deterrence had little) Tj
T* ( relevance at the point of collision between hacking and mental) Tj
T* ( illness.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Trax's sentence was also a good outcome for Mendax, who on) Tj
T* ( 29 August 1995 pleaded guilty to eight counts of computer crime, and) Tj
T* ( not guilty to all the other charges. Almost a year later, on 9 May) Tj
T* ( 1996, he pleaded guilty to an additional eleven charges, and not) Tj
T* ( guilty to six. The prosecution dropped all the other charges.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax wanted to fight those six outstanding charges, which involved) Tj
T* ( ANU, RMIT, NorTel and Telecom, because he felt that the law was on his) Tj
T* ( side in these instances. In fact, the law was fundamentally unclear) Tj
T* ( when it came to those charges. So much so that the DPP and the defence) Tj
T* ( agreed to take issues relating to those charges in a case stated to) Tj
T* ( the Supreme Court of Victoria.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In a case stated, both sides ask the Supreme Court to make a ruling) Tj
T* ( not on the court case itself, but on a point of law. The defence and) Tj
T* ( the prosecution hammer out an agreed statement about the facts of the) Tj
T* ( case and, in essence, ask the Supreme Court judges to use that) Tj
T* ( statement as a sort of case study. The resulting ruling is meant to) Tj
T* ( clarify the finer points of the law not only for the specific case,) Tj
T* ( but for similar cases which appear in future.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Presenting a case stated to the Supreme Court is somewhat uncommon. It) Tj
T* ( is unusual to find a court case where both sides can agree on enough) Tj
T* ( of the facts, but Mendax's hacking charges presented the perfect case) Tj
T* ( and the questions which would be put to the Victorian Supreme Court in) Tj
T* ( late 1996 were crucial for all future hacking cases in Australia. What) Tj
T* ( did it mean `to obtain access' to a computer? Did someone obtain) Tj
T* ( access if he or she got in without using a password? What if he or she) Tj
T* ( used the username `guest' and the password `guest'?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Perhaps the most crucial question of all was this: does a person) Tj
T* ( `obtain access' to data stored in a computer if he or she has the) Tj
ET
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T* ( ability to view the data, but does not in fact view or even attempt to) Tj
T* ( view that data?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A good example of this applied to the aggravated versions of the) Tj
T* ( offence of hacking: viewing commercial information. If, for example,) Tj
T* ( Mendax logged into a NorTel computer, which contained commercially) Tj
T* ( sensitive information, but he didn't actually read any of those files,) Tj
T* ( would he be guilty of `obtaining access' or `obtaining access to) Tj
T* ( commercial information'?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The chief judge of the County Court agreed to the case stated and sent) Tj
T* ( it up to the full bench of the Supreme Court. The lawyers from both) Tj
T* ( sides were pleased with the bench--Justices Frank Vincent, Kenneth) Tj
T* ( Hayne and John Coldrey.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 30 September 1996, Mendax arrived at the Supreme Court and found) Tj
T* ( all the lawyers assembled at the court--all except for his barrister.) Tj
T* ( Paul Galbally kept checking his watch as the prosecution lawyers began) Tj
T* ( unpacking their mountains of paper--the fruit of months of) Tj
T* ( preparation. Galbally paced the plush carpet of the Supreme Court) Tj
T* ( anteroom. Still no barrister.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax's barrister had worked tirelessly, preparing for the case) Tj
T* ( stated as if it was a million dollar case. Combing through legal) Tj
T* ( precedents from not only Australia, the UK and the US, but from all) Tj
T* ( the world's Western-style democracies, he had attained a great) Tj
T* ( understanding of the law in the area of computer crime. He had finally) Tj
T* ( arrived at that nexus of understanding between law, philosophy and) Tj
T* ( linguistics which many lesser lawyers spent their entire careers) Tj
T* ( trying to reach.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But where was he? Galbally pulled out his mobile and checked in with) Tj
T* ( his office for what seemed like the fifth time in as many minutes. The) Tj
T* ( news he received was bad. He was told, through second-hand sources,) Tj
T* ( that the barrister had collapsed in a state of nervous exhaustion. He) Tj
T* ( wouldn't be making it to court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Galbally could feel his hairs turning grey.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When court opened, Galbally had to stand up and explain to three of) Tj
T* ( the most senior judges in Australia why the defence would like a) Tj
T* ( two-day adjournment. A consummate professional, Geoff Chettle) Tj
T* ( supported the submission. Still, it was a difficult request. Time in) Tj
T* ( the Supreme Court is a scarce and valuable thing. Fortunately, the) Tj
T* ( adjournment was granted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This gave Galbally exactly two days in which to find a barrister who) Tj
T* ( was good, available and smart enough to assimilate a massive amount of) Tj
T* ( technical information in a short time. He found Andrew Tinney.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Tinney worked around the clock and by Wednesday, 2 October, he was) Tj
T* ( ready. Once again, all the lawyers, and the hacker, gathered at the) Tj
T* ( court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This time, however, it was the judges who threw a spanner into the) Tj
T* ( works. They asked both sides to spend the first hour or so explaining) Tj
T* ( exactly why the Supreme Court should hear the case stated at all. The) Tj
T* ( lawyers looked at each other in surprise. What was this all about?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After hearing some brief arguments from both sides, the judges retired) Tj
ET
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T* ( to consider their position. When they returned, Justice Hayne read a) Tj
T* ( detailed judgment saying, in essence, that the judges refused to hear) Tj
T* ( the case.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As the judge spoke, it became clear that the Supreme Court judges) Tj
T* ( weren't just refusing to hear this case stated; they were virtually) Tj
T* ( refusing to hear any case stated in future. Not for computer crimes.) Tj
T* ( Not for murder. Not for fraud. Not for anything. They were sending a) Tj
T* ( message to the County Court judges: don't send us a case stated except) Tj
T* ( in exceptional circumstances.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Geoff Chettle slumped in his chair, his hands shielding his face. Paul) Tj
T* ( Galbally looked stunned. Andrew Tinney looked as if he wanted to leap) Tj
T* ( from his chair shouting, `I just killed myself for the past two days) Tj
T* ( on this case! You have to hear it!' Even Lesley Taylor, the quiet,) Tj
T* ( unflappable and inscrutable DPP solicitor who had replaced Andrea) Tj
T* ( Pavleka on the case, looked amazed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The ruling had enormous implications. Judges from the lower courts) Tj
T* ( would be loath to ever send cases to the Supreme Court for) Tj
T* ( clarification on points of law again. Mendax had made legal history,) Tj
T* ( but not in the way he had hoped.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Mendax's case passed back down to the County Court.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He had considered taking his case to trial, but with recently) Tj
T* ( announced budget cuts to Legal Aid, he knew there was little hope of) Tj
T* ( receiving funding to fight the charges. The cuts were forcing the poor) Tj
T* ( to plead guilty, leaving justice available only for the wealthy.) Tj
T* ( Worse, he felt the weight of pleading guilty, not only as a sense of) Tj
T* ( injustice in his own case, but for future hacking cases which would) Tj
T* ( follow. Without clarity on the meaning of the law--which the judges) Tj
T* ( had refused to provide--or a message from a jury in a landmark case,) Tj
T* ( such as Wandii's trial, Mendax believed that hackers could expect) Tj
T* ( little justice from either the police or the courts in the future.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( On 5 December 1996, Mendax pleaded guilty to the remaining six charges) Tj
T* ( and was sentenced on all counts.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Court Two was quiet that day. Geoff Chettle, for the prosecution,) Tj
T* ( wasn't there. Instead, the quietly self-possessed Lesley Taylor) Tj
T* ( handled the matter. Paul Galbally appeared for Mendax himself. Ken Day) Tj
T* ( sat, expressionless, in the front row of the public benches. He looked) Tj
T* ( a little weary. A few rows back, Mendax's mother seemed nervous.) Tj
T* ( Electron slipped silently into the back of the room and gave Mendax a) Tj
T* ( discreet smile.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, Mendax blinked and rolled) Tj
T* ( his eyes several times as if brought from a dark space into the) Tj
T* ( bright, white-walled courtroom.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Judge Ross, a ruddy-faced and jowly man of late middle age with bushy,) Tj
T* ( grey eyebrows, seated himself in his chair. At first, he was reluctant) Tj
T* ( to take on the case for sentencing. He thought it should be returned) Tj
T* ( to one of the original judges--Judge Kimm or Judge Lewis. When he) Tj
T* ( walked into court that morning, he had not read the other judges') Tj
T* ( sentences.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Lesley Taylor summarised the punishments handed down to the other two) Tj
T* ( hackers. The judge did not look altogether pleased. Finally, he) Tj
ET
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T* ( announced he would deal with the case. `Two judges have had a crack at) Tj
T* ( it, why not a third one? He might do it properly.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Galbally was concerned. As the morning progressed, he became) Tj
T* ( increasingly distressed; things were not going well. Judge Ross made) Tj
T* ( clear that he personally favoured a custodial sentence, albeit a) Tj
T* ( suspended one. The only thing protecting Mendax seemed to be the) Tj
T* ( principle of parity in sentencing. Prime Suspect and Trax had) Tj
T* ( committed similar crimes to Mendax, and therefore he had to be given a) Tj
T* ( similar sentence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Ross `registered some surprise' at Judge Lewis's disposition toward) Tj
T* ( the sentencing of Prime Suspect. In the context of parity, he told) Tj
T* ( Leslie Taylor, he was at times `quite soured by some penalties') Tj
T* ( imposed by other judges. He quizzed her for reasons why he might be) Tj
T* ( able to step outside parity.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He told the court that he had not read the telephone intercepts in the) Tj
T* ( legal brief. In fact, he had `only read the summary of facts' and when) Tj
T* ( Taylor mentioned `International Subversive', he asked her, `What was) Tj
T* ( that?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then he asked her how to spell the word `phreak'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Later that day, after Judge Ross had read the other judges' sentences,) Tj
T* ( he gave Mendax a sentence similar to Prime Suspect's--a recorded) Tj
T* ( conviction on all counts, a reparation payment of $2100 to ANU and a) Tj
T* ( three-year good behaviour bond.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There were two variations. Prime Suspect and Trax both received $500) Tj
T* ( good behaviour bonds; Judge Ross ordered a $5000 bond for Mendax.) Tj
T* ( Further, Judge Lewis had given Prime Suspect almost twelve months to) Tj
T* ( pay his $2100 reparation. Judge Ross ordered Mendax to pay within) Tj
T* ( three months.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Judge Ross told Mendax, `I repeat what I said before. I thought) Tj
T* ( initially that these were offences which justified a jail sentence, but) Tj
T* ( the mitigatory circumstances would have converted that to a suspended) Tj
T* ( sentence. The sentence given to your co-offender caused me to alter that) Tj
T* ( view, however.' He was concerned, he said, `that highly intelligent) Tj
T* ( individuals ought not to behave like this and I suspect it is only) Tj
T* ( highly intelligent individuals who can do what you did'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The word `addiction' did not appear anywhere in the sentencing) Tj
T* ( transcript.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Chapter 10 -- Anthrax -- The Outsider) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They had a gun at my head and a knife at my back) Tj
T* ( Don't wind me up too tight ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( -- from `Powderworks' on Midnight Oil \(also called The Blue Album\) by) Tj
T* ( Midnight Oil) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax didn't like working as part of a team. He always considered) Tj
ET
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T* ( other people to be the weakest link in the chain.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Although people were never to be trusted completely, he socialised) Tj
T* ( with many hackers and phreakers and worked with a few of them now and) Tj
T* ( again on particular projects. But he never formed intimate) Tj
T* ( partnerships with any of them. Even if a fellow hacker dobbed him in) Tj
T* ( to the police, the informant couldn't know the full extent of his) Tj
T* ( activities. The nature of his relationships was also determined, in) Tj
T* ( part, by his isolation. Anthrax lived in a town in rural Victoria.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Despite the fact that he never joined a hacking partnership like The) Tj
T* ( Realm, Anthrax liked people, liked to talk to them for hours at a time) Tj
T* ( on the telephone. Sometimes he received up to ten international calls) Tj
T* ( a day from his phreaker friends overseas. He would be over at a) Tj
T* ( friend's house, and the friend's mother would knock on the door of the) Tj
T* ( bedroom where the boys were hanging out, listening to new music,) Tj
T* ( talking.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The mother would poke her head in the door, raise an eyebrow and point) Tj
T* ( at Anthrax. `Phone call for you. Someone from Denmark.' Or sometimes) Tj
T* ( it was Sweden. Finland. The US. Wherever. Though they didn't say) Tj
T* ( anything, his friends' parents thought it all a bit strange. Not many) Tj
T* ( kids in country towns got international calls trailing them around) Tj
T* ( from house to house. But then not many kids were master phreakers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax loved the phone system and he understood its power. Many) Tj
T* ( phreakers thought it was enough to be able to call their friends) Tj
T* ( around the globe for free. Or make hacking attack phone calls without) Tj
T* ( being traced. However, real power for Anthrax lay in controlling voice) Tj
T* ( communications systems--things that moved conversations around the) Tj
T* ( world. He cruised through people's voice mailbox messages to piece) Tj
T* ( together a picture of what they were doing. He wanted to be able to) Tj
T* ( listen into telephone conversations. And he wanted to be able to) Tj
T* ( reprogram the telephone system, even take it down. That was real) Tj
T* ( power, the kind that lots of people would notice.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The desire for power grew throughout Anthrax's teenage years. He ached) Tj
T* ( to know everything, to see everything, to play with exotic systems in) Tj
T* ( foreign countries. He needed to know the purpose of every system, what) Tj
T* ( made them tick, how they fitted together. Understanding how things) Tj
T* ( worked would give him control.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His obsession with telephony and hacking began early in life. When he) Tj
T* ( was about eleven, his father had taken him to see the film War Games.) Tj
T* ( All Anthrax could think of as he left the theatre was how much he) Tj
T* ( wanted to learn how to hack. He had already developed a fascination) Tj
T* ( for computers, having received the simplest of machines, a Sinclair) Tj
T* ( ZX81 with 1 k of memory, as a birthday present from his parents.) Tj
T* ( Rummaging through outdoor markets, he found a few second-hand books on) Tj
T* ( hacking. He read Out of the Inner Circle by Bill Landreth, and Hackers) Tj
T* ( by Steven Levy.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( By the time he was fourteen, Anthrax had joined a Melbourne-based) Tj
T* ( group of boys called The Force. The members swapped Commodore 64 and) Tj
T* ( Amiga games. They also wrote their own demos--short computer) Tj
T* ( programs--and delighted in cracking the copy protections on the games) Tj
T* ( and then trading them with other crackers around the world. It was) Tj
T* ( like an international penpal group. Anthrax liked the challenge) Tj
T* ( provided by cracking the protections, but few teenagers in his town) Tj
T* ( shared an interest in his unusual hobby. Joining The Force introduced) Tj
ET
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T* ( him to a whole new world of people who thought as he did.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Anthrax first read about phreaking he wrote to one of his American) Tj
T* ( cracking contacts asking for advice on how to start. His friend sent him) Tj
T* ( a list of AT&T calling card numbers and a toll-free direct-dial number) Tj
T* ( which connected Australians with American operators. The card numbers) Tj
T* ( were all expired or cancelled, but Anthrax didn't care. What captured) Tj
T* ( his imagination was the fact that he could call an operator all the way) Tj
T* ( across the Pacific for free. Anthrax began trying to find more special) Tj
T* ( numbers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He would hang out at a pay phone near his house. It was a seedy) Tj
T* ( neighbourhood, home to the most downtrodden of all the town's) Tj
T* ( residents, but Anthrax would stand at the pay phone for hours most) Tj
T* ( evenings, oblivious to the clatter around him, hand-scanning for) Tj
T* ( toll-free numbers. He dialled 0014--the prefix for the international) Tj
T* ( toll-free numbers--followed by a random set of numbers. Then, as he) Tj
T* ( got more serious, he approached the task more methodically. He) Tj
T* ( selected a range of numbers, such as 300 to 400, for the last three) Tj
T* ( digits. Then he dialled over and over, increasing the number by one) Tj
T* ( each time he dialled. 301. 302. 303. 304. Whenever he hit a) Tj
T* ( functioning phone number, he noted it down. He never had to spend a) Tj
T* ( cent since all the 0014 numbers were free.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax found some valid numbers, but many of them had modems at the) Tj
T* ( other end. So he decided it was time to buy a modem so he could explore) Tj
T* ( further. Too young to work legally, he lied about his age and landed an) Tj
T* ( after-school job doing data entry at an escort agency. In the meantime,) Tj
T* ( he spent every available moment at the pay phone, scanning and adding) Tj
T* ( new numbers to his growing list of toll-free modem and operator-assisted) Tj
T* ( numbers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The scanning became an obsession. Often Anthrax stayed at the phone) Tj
T* ( until 10 or 11 p.m. Some nights it was 3 a.m. The pay phone had a) Tj
T* ( rotary dial, making the task laborious, and sometimes he would come) Tj
T* ( home with blisters on the tips of his fingers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A month or so after he started working, he had saved enough money for) Tj
T* ( a modem.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hand scanning was boring, but no more so than school. Anthrax attended) Tj
T* ( his state school regularly, at least until year 10. Much of that was) Tj
T* ( due to his mother's influence. She believed in education and in) Tj
T* ( bettering oneself, and she wanted to give her son the opportunities) Tj
T* ( she had been denied. It was his mother, a psychiatric nurse, who) Tj
T* ( scrimped and saved for months to buy him his first real computer, a) Tj
T* ( $400 Commodore 64. And it was his mother who took out a loan to buy) Tj
T* ( the more powerful Amiga a few years later in 1989. She knew the boy) Tj
T* ( was very bright. He used to read her medical textbooks, and computers) Tj
T* ( were the future.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax had always done well in school, earning distinctions every) Tj
T* ( year from year 7 to year 10. But not in maths. Maths bored him. Still,) Tj
T* ( he had some aptitude for it. He won an award in year 6 for designing a) Tj
T* ( pendulum device which measured the height of a building using basic) Tj
T* ( trigonometry--a subject he had never studied. However, Anthrax didn't) Tj
T* ( attend school so much after year 10. The teachers kept telling him) Tj
T* ( things he already knew, or things he could learn much faster from) Tj
T* ( reading a book. If he liked a topic, he wandered off to the library to) Tj
T* ( read about it.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Things at home became increasingly complicated around that time. His) Tj
T* ( family had struggled from the moment they arrived in Australia from) Tj
T* ( England, when Anthrax was about twelve. They struggled financially,) Tj
T* ( they struggled against the roughness of a country town, and, as) Tj
T* ( Indians, Anthrax, his younger brother and their mother struggled) Tj
T* ( against racism.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The town was a violent place, filled with racial hatred and ethnic) Tj
T* ( tension. The ethnics had carved out corners for themselves, but) Tj
T* ( incursions into enemy territory were common and almost always resulted) Tj
T* ( in violence. It was the kind of town where people ended up in fist) Tj
T* ( fights over a soccer game. Not an easy place for a half-Indian,) Tj
T* ( half-British boy with a violent father.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax's father, a white Englishman, came from a farming family. One) Tj
T* ( of five sons, he attended an agricultural college where he met and) Tj
T* ( married the sister of an Indian student on a scholarship. Their) Tj
T* ( marriage caused quite a stir, even making the local paper under the) Tj
T* ( headline `Farmer Marries Indian Woman'. It was not a happy marriage) Tj
T* ( and Anthrax often wondered why his father had married an Indian.) Tj
T* ( Perhaps it was a way of rebelling against his dominating father.) Tj
T* ( Perhaps he had once been in love. Or perhaps he simply wanted someone) Tj
T* ( he could dominate and control. Whatever the reason, the decision was) Tj
T* ( an unpopular one with Anthrax's grandfather and the mixed-race family) Tj
T* ( was often excluded from larger family gatherings.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Anthrax's family moved to Australia, they had almost no money.) Tj
T* ( Eventually, the father got a job as an officer at Melbourne's) Tj
T* ( Pentridge prison, where he stayed during the week. He only received a) Tj
T* ( modest income, but he seemed to like his job. The mother began working) Tj
T* ( as a nurse. Despite their new-found financial stability, the family) Tj
T* ( was not close. The father appeared to have little respect for his wife) Tj
T* ( and sons, and Anthrax had little respect for his father.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As Anthrax entered his teenage years, his father became increasingly) Tj
T* ( abusive. On weekends, when he was home from work, he used to hit) Tj
T* ( Anthrax, sometimes throwing him on the floor and kicking him. Anthrax) Tj
T* ( tried to avoid the physical abuse but the scrawny teenager was little) Tj
T* ( match for the beefy prison officer. Anthrax and his brother were quiet) Tj
T* ( boys. It seemed to be the path of least resistance with a rough father) Tj
T* ( in a rough town. Besides, it was hard to talk back in the painful) Tj
T* ( stutter both boys shared through their early teens.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One day, when Anthrax was fifteen, he came home to find a commotion at) Tj
T* ( his house. On entering the house, Anthrax went to his parents') Tj
T* ( bedroom. He found his mother there, and she was very upset and) Tj
T* ( emotionally distressed. He couldn't see his father anywhere, but found) Tj
T* ( him relaxing on the sofa in the lounge room, watching TV.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Disgust consumed Anthrax and he retreated into the kitchen. When his) Tj
T* ( father came in not long after to prepare some food Anthrax watched his) Tj
T* ( back with revulsion. Then he noticed a carving knife resting on the) Tj
T* ( counter. As Anthrax reached for the knife, an ambulance worker) Tj
T* ( appeared in the doorway. Anthrax put the knife down and walked away.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But he wasn't so quiet after that. He started talking back, at home and) Tj
T* ( at school, and that marked the beginning of the really big problems. In) Tj
T* ( primary school and early high school he had been beaten up now and) Tj
T* ( again. Not any more. When a fellow student hauled Anthrax up against the) Tj
ET
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T* ( wall of the locker shed and started shaking him and waving his fist,) Tj
T* ( Anthrax lost it. He saw, for a moment, his father's face instead of the) Tj
T* ( student's and began to throw punches in a frenzy that left his victim in) Tj
T* ( a terrible state.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At home, Anthrax's father learned how to bait his son. The bully) Tj
T* ( always savours a morsel of resistance from the victim, which makes) Tj
T* ( going in for the kill a little more fun. Talking back gave the father) Tj
T* ( a good excuse to get violent. Once he nearly broke his son's neck.) Tj
T* ( Another time it was his arm. He grabbed Anthrax and twisted his arm) Tj
T* ( behind his back. There was an eerie sound of cracking cartilage, and) Tj
T* ( then pain. Anthrax screamed for his father to stop. His father twisted) Tj
T* ( Anthrax's arm harder, then pressed on his neck. His mother shrieked at) Tj
T* ( her husband to let go of her son. He wouldn't.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Look at you crying,' his father sneered. `You disgusting animal.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You're the disgusting animal,' Anthrax shouted, talking back again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His father threw Anthrax on the floor and began kicking him in the) Tj
T* ( head, in the ribs, all over.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax ran away. He went south to Melbourne for a week, sleeping) Tj
T* ( anywhere he could, in the empty night-time spaces left over by day) Tj
T* ( workers gone to orderly homes. He even crashed in hospital emergency) Tj
T* ( rooms. If a nurse asked why he was there, he would answer politely, `I) Tj
T* ( received a phone call to meet someone here'. She would nod her head) Tj
T* ( and move on to someone else.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Eventually, when Anthrax returned home, he took up martial arts to) Tj
T* ( become strong. And he waited.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax was poking around a MILNET gateway when he stumbled on the) Tj
T* ( door to System X.* He had wanted to find this system for months,) Tj
T* ( because he had intercepted email about it which had aroused his) Tj
T* ( curiosity.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax telnetted into the gateway. A gateway binds two different) Tj
T* ( networks. It allows, for example, two computer networks which talk) Tj
T* ( different languages to communicate. A gateway might allow someone on a) Tj
T* ( system running DECNET to login to a TCP/IP based system, like a Unix.) Tj
T* ( Anthrax was frustrated that he couldn't seem to get past the System X) Tj
T* ( gateway and on to the hosts on the other side.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Using normal address formats for a variety of networks, he tried) Tj
T* ( telling the gateway to make a connection. X.25. TCP/IP. Whatever lay) Tj
T* ( beyond the gateway didn't respond. Anthrax looked around until he) Tj
T* ( found a sample of addresses in a help file. None of them worked, but) Tj
T* ( they offered a clue as to what format an address might take.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Each address had six digits, the first three numbers of which) Tj
T* ( corresponded to telephone area codes in the Washington DC area. So he) Tj
T* ( picked one of the codes and started guessing the last three digits.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hand scanning was a pain, as ever, but if he was methodical and) Tj
T* ( persistent, something should turn up. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. On it) Tj
T* ( went. Eventually he connected to something--a Sunos Unix system--which) Tj
T* ( gave him a full IP address in its login message. Now that was handy.) Tj
ET
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T* ( With the full IP address, he could connect to System X again through) Tj
T* ( the Internet directly--avoiding the gateway if he chose to. It's) Tj
T* ( always helpful in covering your tracks to have a few different routing) Tj
T* ( options. Importantly, he could approach System X through more than) Tj
T* ( just its front door.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax spiralled through the usual round of default usernames and) Tj
T* ( passwords. Nothing. This system required a more strategic attack.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He backed out of the login screen, escaped from the gateway and went) Tj
T* ( to another Internet site to have a good look at System X from a) Tj
T* ( healthy distance. He `fingered' the site, pulling up any bit of) Tj
T* ( information System X would release to the rest of the Internet when) Tj
T* ( asked. He probed and prodded, looking for openings. And then he found) Tj
T* ( one. Sendmail.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The version of Sendmail run by System X had a security hole Anthrax) Tj
T* ( could exploit by sending himself a tiny backdoor program. To do this,) Tj
T* ( he used System X's mail-processing service to send a `letter' which) Tj
T* ( contained a tiny computer program. System X would never have allowed) Tj
T* ( the program to run normally, but this program worked like a letter) Tj
T* ( bomb. When System X opened the letter, the program jumped out and) Tj
T* ( started running. It told System X that anyone could connect to port) Tj
T* ( 2001--to an interactive shell--of the computer without using a) Tj
T* ( password.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A port is a door to the outside world. TCP/IP computers use a standard) Tj
T* ( set of ports for certain services. Port 25 for mail. Port 79 for) Tj
T* ( Finger. Port 21 for FTP. Port 23 for Telnet. Port 513 for Rlogin. Port) Tj
T* ( 80 for the World Wide Web. A TCP/IP based computer system has 65535) Tj
T* ( ports but most of them go unused. Indeed, the average Unix box uses) Tj
T* ( only 35, leaving the remaining 65500 ports sitting idle. Anthrax) Tj
T* ( simply picked one of these sleepy ports, dusted off the cobwebs and) Tj
T* ( plugged in using the backdoor created by his tiny mail-borne program.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Connecting directly to a port created some problems, because the) Tj
T* ( system wouldn't recognise certain keystrokes from the port, such as) Tj
T* ( the return key. For this reason, Anthrax had to create an account for) Tj
T* ( himself which would let him telnet to the site and login like any) Tj
T* ( normal user. To do this, he needed root privileges in order to create) Tj
T* ( an account and, ultimately, a permanent backdoor into the system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He began hunting for vulnerabilities in System X's security. There was) Tj
T* ( nothing obvious, but he decided to try out a bug he had successfully) Tj
T* ( used elsewhere. He had first learned about it on an international) Tj
T* ( phone conference, where he had traded information with other hackers) Tj
T* ( and phreakers. The security hole involved the system's relatively) Tj
T* ( obscure load-module program. The program added features to the running) Tj
T* ( system but, more importantly, it ran as root, meaning that it had a) Tj
T* ( free run on the system when it was executed. It also meant that any) Tj
T* ( other programs the load-module program called up also ran as root. If) Tj
T* ( Anthrax could get this program to run one of his own programs--a) Tj
T* ( little Trojan--he could get root on System X.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The load-module bug was by no means a sure thing on System X. Most) Tj
T* ( commercial systems--computers run by banks or credit agencies, for) Tj
T* ( example--had cleaned up the load-module bug in their Sunos computers) Tj
T* ( months before. But military systems consistently missed the bug. They) Tj
T* ( were like turtles--hard on the outside, but soft and vulnerable on the) Tj
T* ( inside. Since the bug couldn't be exploited unless a hacker was) Tj
ET
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T* ( already inside a system, the military's computer security officials) Tj
T* ( didn't seem to pay much attention to it. Anthrax had visited a large) Tj
T* ( number of military systems prior to System X, and in his experience) Tj
T* ( more than 90 per cent of their Sunos computers had never fixed the) Tj
T* ( bug.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( With only normal privileges, Anthrax couldn't force the load-module) Tj
T* ( program to run his backdoor Trojan program. But he could trick it into) Tj
T* ( doing so. The secret was in one simple keyboard character: /.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Unix-based computer systems are a bit like the protocols of the) Tj
T* ( diplomatic corps; the smallest variation can change something's) Tj
T* ( meaning entirely. Hackers, too, understand the implications of subtle) Tj
T* ( changes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A Unix-based system reads the phrase:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( /bin/program) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( very differently from:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( bin program) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One simple character--the `/'--makes an enormous difference. A Unix) Tj
T* ( computer reads the `/' as a road sign. The first phrase tells the) Tj
T* ( computer, `Follow the road to the house of the user called "bin" and) Tj
T* ( when you get there, go inside and fetch the file called "program" and) Tj
T* ( run it'. A blank space, however, tells the computer something quite) Tj
T* ( different. In this case, Anthrax knew it told the computer to execute) Tj
T* ( the command which proceeded the space. That second phrase told the) Tj
T* ( machine, `Look everywhere for a program called "bin" and run it'.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax prepared for his attack on the load-module program by) Tj
T* ( installing his own special program, named `bin', into a temporary) Tj
T* ( storage area on System X. If he could get System X to run his program) Tj
T* ( with root privileges, he too would have procured root level access to) Tj
T* ( the system. When everything was in place, Anthrax forced the system to) Tj
T* ( read the character `/' as a blank space. Then he ran the load-module) Tj
T* ( program, and watched. When System X hunted around for a program named) Tj
T* ( `bin', it quickly found Anthrax's Trojan and ran it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The hacker savoured the moment, but he didn't pause for long. With a) Tj
T* ( few swift keystrokes, he added an entry to the password file, creating) Tj
T* ( a basic account for himself. He exited his connection to port 2001,) Tj
T* ( circled around through another route, using the 0014 gateway, and) Tj
T* ( logged into System X using his newly created account. It felt good) Tj
T* ( walking in through the front door.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Once inside, Anthrax had a quick look around. The system startled him.) Tj
T* ( There were only three human users. Now that was definitely odd. Most) Tj
T* ( systems had hundreds of users. Even a small system might serve 30 or) Tj
T* ( 40 people, and this was not a small system. He concluded that System X) Tj
T* ( wasn't just some machine designed to send and receive email. It was) Tj
T* ( operational. It did something.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax considered how to clean up his footsteps and secure his) Tj
T* ( position. While he was hardly broadcasting his presence, someone might) Tj
T* ( discover his arrival simply by looking at who was logged in on the) Tj
T* ( list of accounts in the password file. He had given his backdoor root) Tj
T* ( account a bland name, but he could reasonably assume that these three) Tj
ET
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T* ( users knew their system pretty well. And with only three users, it was) Tj
T* ( probably the kind of system that had lots of babysitting. After all) Tj
T* ( that effort, Anthrax needed a watchful nanny like a hole in the head.) Tj
T* ( He worked at moving into the shadows.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He removed himself from the WTMP and UTMP files, which listed who had) Tj
T* ( been on-line and who was still logged in. Anthrax wasn't invisible,) Tj
T* ( but an admin would have to look closely at the system's network) Tj
T* ( connections and list of processes to find him. Next stop: the login) Tj
T* ( program.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax couldn't use his newly created front-door account for an) Tj
T* ( extended period--the risk of discovery was too great. If he accessed) Tj
T* ( the computer repeatedly in this manner, a prying admin might) Tj
T* ( eventually find him and delete his account. An extra account on a) Tj
T* ( system with only three users was a dead give-away. And losing access) Tj
T* ( to System X just as things were getting interesting was not on his) Tj
T* ( agenda.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax leaned back in his chair and stretched his shoulders. His) Tj
T* ( hacking room was an old cloakroom, though it was barely recognisable) Tj
T* ( as such. It looked more like a closet--a very messy closet. The whole) Tj
T* ( room was ankle-deep in scrap papers, most of them with lists of) Tj
T* ( numbers on the back and front. Occasionally, Anthrax scooped up all) Tj
T* ( the papers and piled them into heavy-duty garbage bags, three of which) Tj
T* ( could just fit inside the room at any one time. Anthrax always knew) Tj
T* ( roughly where he had `filed' a particular set of notes. When he needed) Tj
T* ( it, he tipped the bag onto the floor, searched through the mound and) Tj
T* ( returned to the computer. When the sea of paper reached a critical) Tj
T* ( mass, he jammed everything back into the garbage bag again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The computer--an Amiga 500 box with a cheap Panasonic TV as the) Tj
T* ( monitor--sat on a small desk next to his mother's sewing machine) Tj
T* ( cabinet. The small bookcase under the desk) Tj
T* ( was stuffed with magazines like Compute and Australian Communications,) Tj
T* ( along with a few Commodore, Amiga and Unix reference manuals. There) Tj
T* ( was just enough space for Anthrax's old stereo and his short-wave) Tj
T* ( radio. When he wasn't listening to his favourite show, a hacking) Tj
T* ( program broadcast from a pirate station in Ecuador, he tuned into) Tj
T* ( Radio Moscow or the BBC's World Service.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax considered what to do with System X. This system had aroused) Tj
T* ( his curiosity and he intended to visit it frequently.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was time to work on the login patch. The patch replaced the) Tj
T* ( system's normal login program and had a special feature: a master) Tj
T* ( password. The password was like a diplomatic passport. It would let) Tj
T* ( him do anything, go anywhere. He could login as any user using the) Tj
T* ( master password. Further, when he logged in with the master password,) Tj
T* ( he wouldn't show up on any log files--leaving no trail. But the beauty) Tj
T* ( of the login patch was that, in every other way, it ran as the normal) Tj
T* ( login program. The regular computer users--all three of them--could) Tj
T* ( login as usual with their passwords and would never know Anthrax had) Tj
T* ( been in the system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He thought about ways of setting up his login patch. Installing a) Tj
T* ( patch on System X wasn't like mending a pair of jeans. He couldn't) Tj
T* ( just slap on a swath from an old bandanna and quick-stitch it in with) Tj
T* ( a thread of any colour. It was more like mending an expensive cashmere) Tj
T* ( coat. The fabric needed to be a perfect match in colour and texture.) Tj
ET
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T* ( And because the patch required high-quality invisible mending, the) Tj
T* ( size also needed to be just right.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Every file in a computer system has three dates: the date it was) Tj
T* ( created, the date it was last modified and the date it was last) Tj
T* ( accessed. The problem was that the login patch needed to have the same) Tj
T* ( creation and modification dates as the original login program so that) Tj
T* ( it would not raise suspicions. It wasn't hard to get the dates but it) Tj
T* ( was difficult to paste them onto the patch. The last access date) Tj
T* ( wasn't important as it changed whenever the program was run) Tj
T* ( anyway--whenever a user of the System X logged in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If Anthrax ripped out the original login program and stitched his) Tj
T* ( patch in its place, the patch would be stamped with a new creation) Tj
T* ( date. He knew there was no way to change a creation date short of) Tj
T* ( changing the clock for the whole system--something which would cause) Tj
T* ( problems elsewhere in System X.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The first thing a good system admin does when he or she suspects a) Tj
T* ( break-in is search for all files created or modified over the previous) Tj
T* ( few days. One whiff of an intruder and a good admin would be all over) Tj
T* ( Anthrax's login patch within about five minutes.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax wrote the modification and creation dates down on a bit of) Tj
T* ( paper. He would need those in a moment. He also jotted down the size) Tj
T* ( of the login file.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Instead of tearing out the old program and sewing in a completely new) Tj
T* ( one, Anthrax decided to overlay his patch by copying it onto the top) Tj
T* ( of the old program. He uploaded his own login patch, with his master) Tj
T* ( password encased inside it, but he didn't install it yet. His patch) Tj
T* ( was called `troj'--short for Trojan. He typed:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( cat/bin/login) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The cat command told the computer: `go get the data in the file called) Tj
T* ( "troj" and put it in the file "/bin/login"'. He checked the piece of) Tj
T* ( paper where he had scribbled down the original file's creation and) Tj
T* ( modification dates, comparing them to the new patch. The creation date) Tj
T* ( and size matched the original. The modification date was still wrong,) Tj
T* ( but he was two-thirds of the way home.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax began to fasten down the final corner of the patch by using a) Tj
T* ( little-known feature of the command:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( /usr/5bin/date) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then he changed the modification date of his login patch to the) Tj
T* ( original login file's date.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He stepped back to admire his work from a distance. The newly) Tj
T* ( installed patch matched the original perfectly. Same size. Same) Tj
T* ( creation date. Same modification date. With patch in place, he deleted) Tj
T* ( the root account he had installed while visiting port 2001. Always) Tj
T* ( take your garbage with you when you leave.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Now for the fun bit. Snooping around. Anthrax headed off for the) Tj
T* ( email, the best way to work out what a system was used for. There were) Tj
T* ( lots of reports from underlings to the three system users on buying) Tj
T* ( equipment, progress reports on a certain project, updates. What was) Tj
ET
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T* ( this project?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then Anthrax came across a huge directory. He opened it and there,) Tj
T* ( couched inside, were perhaps 100 subdirectories. He opened one of) Tj
T* ( them. It was immense, containing hundreds of files. The smallest) Tj
T* ( subfile had perhaps 60 computer screens' worth of material, all of it) Tj
T* ( unintelligible. Numbers, letters, control codes. Anthrax couldn't make) Tj
T* ( head nor tail of the files. It was as if he was staring at a group of) Tj
T* ( binary files. The whole subdirectory was filled with thousands of) Tj
T* ( pages of mush. He thought they looked like data files for some) Tj
T* ( database.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As he didn't have the program he needed to interpret the mush, Anthrax) Tj
T* ( cast around looking for a more readable directory.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He pried open a file and discovered it was a list. Names and phone) Tj
T* ( numbers of staff at a large telecommunications company. Work phone) Tj
T* ( numbers. Home numbers. Well, at least that gave him a clue as to the) Tj
T* ( nature of the project. Something to do with telecommunications. A) Tj
T* ( project important enough that the military needed the home phone) Tj
T* ( numbers of the senior people involved.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The next file confirmed it. Another list, a very special list. A pot) Tj
T* ( of gold at the end of the rainbow. The find of a career spent hacking.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( If the US government had had any inkling what was happening at that) Tj
T* ( moment, heads would have rolled. If it had known that a foreigner, and) Tj
T* ( a follower of what mainstream American media termed an extremist) Tj
T* ( religious group, had this information in his possession, the defence) Tj
T* ( agency would have called in every law enforcement agency it could) Tj
T* ( enlist.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( As John McMahon might have said, a lot of yelling and screaming would) Tj
T* ( have occurred.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax's mother had made a good home for the family, but his father) Tj
T* ( continued to disrupt it with his violence. Fun times with his friends) Tj
T* ( shone like bright spots amidst the decay of Anthrax's family life.) Tj
T* ( Practical jokes were his specialty. Even as a small child, he had) Tj
T* ( delighted in trickery and as he grew up, the jokes became more) Tj
T* ( sophisticated. Phreaking was great. It let him prank people all over) Tj
T* ( the world. And pranking was cool.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Most of the fun in pranking was sharing it with friends. Anthrax) Tj
T* ( called into a voice conference frequented by phreakers and hackers.) Tj
T* ( Though he never trusted others completely when it came to working on) Tj
T* ( projects together, it was OK to socialise. The phreaking methods he) Tj
T* ( used to get onto the phone conference were his own business. Provided) Tj
T* ( he was discreet in how much he said in the conference, he thought) Tj
T* ( there wasn't too much risk.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He joined the conference calls using a variety of methods. One) Tj
T* ( favourite was using a multinational corporation's Dialcom service.) Tj
T* ( Company employees called in, gave their ID numbers, and the operator) Tj
T* ( put them through to wherever they wanted to go, free of charge. All) Tj
T* ( Anthrax needed was a valid ID number.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sometimes it was hard work, sometimes he was lucky. The day Anthrax) Tj
T* ( tried the Dialcom service was a lucky day. He dialled from his) Tj
T* ( favourite pay phone.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `What is your code, sir?' The operator asked.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yes, well, this is Mr Baker. I have a sheet with a lot of numbers) Tj
T* ( here. I am new to the company. Not sure which one it is.' Anthrax) Tj
T* ( shuffled papers on top of the pay phone, near the receiver. `How many) Tj
T* ( digits is it?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Seven.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That was helpful. Now to find seven digits. Anthrax looked across the) Tj
T* ( street at the fish and chips shop. No numbers there. Then a car) Tj
T* ( licence plate caught his eye. He read off the first three digits, then) Tj
T* ( plucked the last four numbers from another car's plate.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Thank you. Putting your call through, Mr Baker.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A valid number! What amazing luck. Anthrax milked that number for all) Tj
T* ( it was worth. Called party lines. Called phreakers' bridges. Access) Tj
T* ( fed the obsession.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then he gave the number to a friend in Adelaide, to call overseas. But) Tj
T* ( when that friend read off the code, the operator jumped in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `YOU'RE NOT MR BAKER!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Huh? `Yes I am. You have my code.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You are definitely not him. I know his voice.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The friend called Anthrax, who laughed his head off, then called into) Tj
T* ( Dialcom and changed his code! It was a funny incident. Still, it) Tj
T* ( reminded him how much safer it was working by himself.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Living in the country was hard for a hacker and Anthrax became a) Tj
T* ( phreaker out of necessity, not just desire. Almost everything involved) Tj
T* ( a long-distance call and he was always searching for ways to make) Tj
T* ( calls for free. He noticed that when he called certain 008) Tj
T* ( numbers--free calls--the phone would ring a few times, click, and then) Tj
T* ( pause briefly before ringing some more. Eventually a company) Tj
T* ( representative or answering service picked up the call. Anthrax had) Tj
T* ( read about diverters, devices used to forward calls automatically, in) Tj
T* ( one of the many telecommunications magazines and manuals he was) Tj
T* ( constantly reading. The click suggested the call was going through a) Tj
T* ( diverter and he guessed that if he punched in the right tones at the) Tj
T* ( right moment, he could make the call divert away from a company's) Tj
T* ( customer service agent. Furthermore, any line trace would end up at) Tj
T* ( the company.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Antrax collected some 008 numbers and fiddled with them. He discovered) Tj
T* ( that if he punched another number in very quickly over the top of the) Tj
T* ( ringing--just after the click--he could make the line divert to where) Tj
T* ( he wanted it to go. He used the 008 numbers to ring phone conferences) Tj
T* ( around the world, where he hung out with other phreakers, particularly) Tj
T* ( Canadians such as members of the Toronto-based UPI or the Montreal) Tj
T* ( group, NPC, which produced a phreakers' manual in French. The) Tj
T* ( conversation on the phreaker's phone conferences, or phone bridges as) Tj
T* ( they are often called, inevitably turned to planning a prank. And) Tj
T* ( those Canadian guys knew how to prank!) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Once, they rang the emergency phone number in a major Canadian city.) Tj
T* ( Using the Canadian incarnation of his social engineering accents,) Tj
T* ( Anthrax called in a `police officer in need of assistance'. The) Tj
T* ( operator wanted to know where. The phreakers had decided on the Blue) Tj
T* ( Ribbon Ice-Cream Parlour. They always picked a spot within visual) Tj
T* ( range of at least one member, so they could see what was happening.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the split second of silence which followed, one of the five other) Tj
T* ( phreakers quietly eavesdropping on the call coughed. It was a short,) Tj
T* ( sharp cough. The operator darted back on the line.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Was that A GUN SHOT? Are you SHOT? Hello? John?' The operator leaned) Tj
T* ( away from her receiver for a moment and the phreakers heard her) Tj
T* ( talking to someone else in the background. `Officer down.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Things moved so fast when pranking. What to do now?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Ah, yeah. Yeah.' It was amazing how much someone squeezing laughter) Tj
T* ( back down his oesophagus can sound like someone who has been shot.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `John, talk to me. Talk to me,' the operator pleaded into the phone,) Tj
T* ( trying to keep John alert.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I'm down. I'm down,' Anthrax strung her along.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax disconnected the operator from the conference call. Then the) Tj
T* ( phreaker who lived near the ice-cream parlour announced the street had) Tj
T* ( been blocked off by police cars. They had the parlour surrounded and) Tj
T* ( were anxiously searching for an injured fellow officer. It took) Tj
T* ( several hours before the police realised someone had played a mean) Tj
T* ( trick on them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( However, Anthrax's favourite prank was Mr McKenny, the befuddled) Tj
T* ( southern American hick. Anthrax had selected the phone number at) Tj
T* ( random, but the first prank was such fun he kept coming back for more.) Tj
T* ( He had been ringing Mr McKenny for years. It was always the same) Tj
T* ( conversation.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Mr McKenny? This is Peter Baker. I'd like my shovel back, please.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I don't have your shovel.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah, I lent it to you. Lent it to you like two years ago. I want it) Tj
T* ( back now.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `I never borrowed no shovel from you. Go away.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You did. You borrowed that shovel of mine. And if you don't give it) Tj
T* ( back I'm a gonna come round and get it myself. And you won't like it.) Tj
T* ( Now, when you gonna give me that shovel back?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Damn it! I don't have your goddamn shovel!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Give me my shovel!') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Stop calling me! I've never had your friggin' shovel. Let me be!') Tj
T* ( Click.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Nine in the morning. Eight at night. Two a.m. There would be no peace) Tj
T* ( for Mr McKenny until he admitted borrowing that shovel from a boy half) Tj
ET
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T* ( his age and half a world away.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sometimes Anthrax pranked closer to home. The Trading Post, a weekly) Tj
T* ( rag of personals from people selling and buying, served as a good) Tj
T* ( place to begin. Always the innocent start, to lure them in.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yes, sir, I see you advertised that you wanted to buy a bathtub.') Tj
T* ( Anthrax put on his serious voice. `I have a bathtub for sale.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Yeah? What sort? Do you have the measurements, and the model number?') Tj
T* ( And people thought phreakers were weird.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Ah, no model number. But its about a metre and a half long, has feet,) Tj
T* ( in the shape of claws. It's older style, off-white. There's only one) Tj
T* ( problem.' Anthrax paused, savouring the moment.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Oh? What's that?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `There's a body in it.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Like dropping a boulder in a peaceful pond.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The list on System X had dial-up modem numbers, along with usernames) Tj
T* ( and password pairs for each address. These usernames were not words) Tj
T* ( like `jsmith' or `jdoe', and the passwords would not have appeared in) Tj
T* ( any dictionary. 12[AZ63. K5M82L. The type of passwords and usernames) Tj
T* ( only a computer would remember.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This, of course, made sense, since a computer picked them out in the) Tj
T* ( first place. It generated them randomly. The list wasn't particularly) Tj
T* ( user-friendly. It didn't have headers, outlining what each item) Tj
T* ( related to. This made sense too. The list wasn't meant to be read by) Tj
T* ( humans.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Occasionally, there were comments in the list. Programmers often) Tj
T* ( include a line of comment in code, which is delineated in such a way) Tj
T* ( that the computer skips over the words when interpreting the commands.) Tj
T* ( The comments are for other programmers examining the code. In this) Tj
T* ( case, the comments were places. Fort Green. Fort Myers. Fort Ritchie.) Tj
T* ( Dozens and dozens of forts. Almost half of them were not on the) Tj
T* ( mainland US. They were in places like the Philippines, Turkey,) Tj
T* ( Germany, Guam. Places with lots of US military presence.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Not that these bases were any secret to the locals, or indeed to many) Tj
T* ( Americans. Anthrax knew that anyone could discover a base existed) Tj
T* ( through perfectly legal means. The vast majority of people never) Tj
T* ( thought to look. But once they saw such a list, particularly from the) Tj
T* ( environment of a military computer's bowels, it tended to drive the) Tj
T* ( point home. The point being that the US military seemed to be) Tj
T* ( everywhere.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax logged out of System X, killed all his connections and hung up) Tj
T* ( the phone. It was time to move on. Routing through a few) Tj
T* ( out-of-the-way connections, he called one of the numbers on the list.) Tj
T* ( The username-password combination worked. He looked around. It was as) Tj
T* ( he expected. This wasn't a computer. It was a telephone exchange. It) Tj
T* ( looked like a NorTel DMS 100.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Hackers and phreakers usually have areas of expertise. In Australian) Tj
T* ( terms, Anthrax was a master of the X.25 network and a king of voice) Tj
T* ( mailbox systems, and others in the underground recognised him as such.) Tj
T* ( He knew Trilogues better than most company technicians. He knew) Tj
T* ( Meridian VMB systems better than almost anyone in Australia. In the) Tj
T* ( phreaking community, he was also a world-class expert in Aspen VMB) Tj
T* ( systems. He did not, however, have any expertise in DMS 100s.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax quickly hunted through his hacking disks for a text file on) Tj
T* ( DMS 100s he had copied from an underground BBS. The pressure was on.) Tj
T* ( He didn't want to spend long inside the exchange, maybe only fifteen) Tj
T* ( or twenty minutes tops. The longer he stayed without much of a clue) Tj
T* ( about how the thing operated, the greater the risk of his being) Tj
T* ( traced. When he found the disk with the text file, he began sorting) Tj
T* ( through it while still on-line at the telephone exchange. The) Tj
T* ( phreakers' file showed him some basic commands, things which let him) Tj
T* ( gently prod the exchange for basic information without disturbing the) Tj
T* ( system too much. He didn't want to do much more for fear of) Tj
T* ( inadvertently mutilating the system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Although he was not an authority on DMS 100s, Anthrax had an old) Tj
T* ( hacker friend overseas who was a real genius on NorTel equipment. He) Tj
T* ( gave the list to his friend. Yes, the friend confirmed it was indeed a) Tj
T* ( DMS 100 exchange at a US military base. It was not part of the normal) Tj
T* ( telephone system, though. This exchange was part of a military phone) Tj
T* ( system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In times of war, the military doesn't want to be dependent on the) Tj
T* ( civilian telephone system. Even in times of peace, voice) Tj
T* ( communications between military staff are more secure if they don't) Tj
T* ( talk on an exchange used by civilians. For this and a variety of other) Tj
T* ( reasons, the military have separate telephone networks, just as they) Tj
T* ( have separate networks for their data communications. These networks) Tj
T* ( operate like a normal network and in some cases can communicate to the) Tj
T* ( outside world by connecting through their own exchanges to civilian) Tj
T* ( ones.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When Anthrax got the word from the expert hacker, he made up his mind) Tj
T* ( quickly. Up went the sniffer. System X was getting more interesting by) Tj
T* ( the hour and he didn't want to miss a precious minute in the information) Tj
T* ( gathering game when it came to this system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The sniffer, a well-used program rumoured to be written by a) Tj
T* ( Sydney-based Unix hacker called Rockstar, sat on System X under an) Tj
T* ( innocuous name, silently tracking everyone who logged in and out of) Tj
T* ( the system. It recorded the first 128 characters of every telnet) Tj
T* ( connection that went across the ethernet network cable to which System) Tj
T* ( X was attached. Those 128 bytes included the username and the) Tj
T* ( passwords people used to log in. Sniffers were effective, but they) Tj
T* ( needed time. Usually, they grew like an embryo in a healthy womb,) Tj
T* ( slowly but steadily.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax resolved to return to System X in twelve hours to check on the) Tj
T* ( baby.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( `Why are you two watching those nigger video clips?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was an offensive question, but not atypical for Anthrax's father.) Tj
ET
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T* ( He often breezed through the house, leaving a trail of disruption in) Tj
T* ( his wake.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Soon, however, Anthrax began eroding his father's authority. He) Tj
T* ( discovered his father's secrets hidden on the Commodore 64 computer.) Tj
T* ( Letters--lots of them--to his family in England. Vicious, racist,) Tj
T* ( horrid letters telling how his wife was stupid. How she had to be told) Tj
T* ( how to do everything, like a typical Indian. How he regretted marrying) Tj
T* ( her. There were other matters too, things unpleasant to discuss.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax confronted his father, who denied the allegations at first,) Tj
T* ( then finally told Anthrax to keep his mouth shut and mind his own) Tj
T* ( business. But Anthrax told his mother. Tensions erupted and, for a) Tj
T* ( time, Anthrax's parents saw a marriage counsellor.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( But his father did not give up writing the letters. He put a password) Tj
T* ( protection program on the word processor to keep his son out of his) Tj
T* ( business. It was a futile effort. His father had chosen the wrong) Tj
T* ( medium to record his indiscretions.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax showed his mother the new letters and continued to confront) Tj
T* ( his father. When the tension in the house grew, Anthrax would escape) Tj
T* ( with his friends. One night they were at a nightclub when someone) Tj
T* ( started taunting Anthrax, calling him `curry muncher' and worse.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( That was it. The anger which had been simmering below the surface for) Tj
T* ( so long exploded as Anthrax violently attacked his taunter, hitting,) Tj
T* ( kicking and punching him, using the tai kwon do combinations he had) Tj
T* ( been learning. There was blood and it felt good. Vengeance tasted) Tj
T* ( sweet.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After that incident, Anthrax often lashed out violently. He was out of) Tj
T* ( control and it sometimes scared him. However, at times he went looking) Tj
T* ( for trouble. Once he tracked down a particularly seedy character who) Tj
T* ( had tried to rape one of his girlfriends. Anthrax pulled a knife on) Tj
T* ( the guy, but the incident had little to do with the girl. The thing) Tj
T* ( that made him angry was the disrespect. This guy knew the girl was) Tj
T* ( with Anthrax. The attempted rape was like spitting in his face.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Perhaps that's what appealed to Anthrax about Islam--the importance of) Tj
T* ( respect. At sixteen he found Islam and it changed his life. He) Tj
T* ( discovered the Qu'raan in the school library while researching an) Tj
T* ( assignment on religion. About the same time, he began listening to a) Tj
T* ( lot of rap music. More than half the American rappers in his music) Tj
T* ( collection were Muslim, and many sang about the Nation of Islam and) Tj
T* ( the sect's charismatic leader, Minister Louis Farrakhan. Their songs) Tj
T* ( described the injustices whites inflicted on blacks. They told blacks) Tj
T* ( to demand respect.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax found a magazine article about Farrakhan and began reading) Tj
T* ( books like the Autobiography of Malcolm X. Then he rang up the Nation) Tj
T* ( of Islam head office in Chicago and asked them to send some) Tj
T* ( information. The Final Call, the NOI newsletter, arrived one day,) Tj
T* ( followed by other literature which began appearing around Anthrax's) Tj
T* ( home. Under the TV guide. On the coffee table. Amid the pile of) Tj
T* ( newspapers. On top of his computer. Anthrax often took time to read) Tj
T* ( articles aloud to his mother while she did housework.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( In the middle of 1990, when Anthrax was in year 11, his father) Tj
T* ( suggested the boy attend Catholic boarding school in Melbourne. The) Tj
ET
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T* ( school was inexpensive and the family could scrape and save to pay the) Tj
T* ( fees. Anthrax disliked the idea, but his father insisted.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax and his new school proved a bad match. The school thought he) Tj
T* ( asked too many questions, and Anthrax thought the school answered too) Tj
T* ( few of them. The hypocrisy of the Catholic church riled Anthrax and) Tj
T* ( pushed him further into the arms of NOI. How could he respect an) Tj
T* ( institution which had sanctioned slavery as a righteous and) Tj
T* ( progressive method of converting people? The school and Anthrax parted) Tj
T* ( on less than friendly terms after just one semester.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The Catholic school intensified a feeling of inferiority Anthrax had) Tj
T* ( felt for many years. He was an outsider. The wrong colour, the wrong) Tj
T* ( size, too intelligent for his school. Yet, NOI's Minister Farrakhan) Tj
T* ( told him that he wasn't inferior at all. `I know that you have been) Tj
T* ( discriminated against because of your colour,' Farrakhan told Anthrax) Tj
T* ( from the tape player. `Let me tell you why. Let me tell you about the) Tj
T* ( origins of the white race and how they were put on this earth to do) Tj
T* ( evil. They have shown themselves to be nothing but an enemy of the) Tj
T* ( East. Non-whites are the original people of the earth.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax found some deep veins of truth in NOI's teachings. Interracial) Tj
T* ( marriages don't work. A white man marries a non-white woman because he) Tj
T* ( wants a slave, not because he loves and respects her. Islam respects) Tj
T* ( women in more meaningful ways than Western religions. Perhaps it wasn't) Tj
T* ( the type of respect that Western men were used to giving women, but he) Tj
T* ( had seen that kind of respect in his own home and he didn't think much) Tj
T* ( of it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax read the words of the Honourable Elijah Muhammad, founder of) Tj
T* ( NOI: `The enemy does not have to be a real devil. He could be your) Tj
T* ( father, mother, brother, husband, wife or children. Many times they're) Tj
T* ( in your own household. Today is the great time of separation of the) Tj
T* ( righteous Muslim and the wicked white race.' Anthrax looked inside his) Tj
T* ( own household and saw what seemed to be a devil. A white devil.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( NOI fed Anthrax's mind. He followed up the lists of literature) Tj
T* ( included in every issue of The Final Call. Books like Black Athena by) Tj
T* ( Martin Bernel and Deterring Democracy by Noam Chomsky had common) Tj
T* ( themes of conspiracy and oppression by the haves against the) Tj
T* ( have-nots. Anthrax read them all.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The transformation of Anthrax occurred over a period of six months. He) Tj
T* ( didn't talk about it much with his parents. It was a private matter.) Tj
T* ( But his mother later told him his adoption of the religion didn't) Tj
T* ( surprise her. His great-grandfather had been a Muslim scholar and) Tj
T* ( cleric in India. It was fate. His conversion presented a certain sense) Tj
T* ( of closure, of completing the circle.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His interest in Islam found secular outlets. A giant black and white) Tj
T* ( poster of Malcolm X appeared on Anthrax's bedroom wall. A huge photo) Tj
T* ( of Los Angeles Black Panther leader Elmer Pratt followed soon after.) Tj
T* ( The photo was captioned, `A coward dies a million deaths, a brave man) Tj
T* ( dies but one'. The last bit of wall was covered in posters of hip-hop) Tj
T* ( bands from ceiling to floor. A traditional Indian sword adorned the) Tj
T* ( top of one of the many bookcases. It complemented the growing) Tj
T* ( collection of books on martial arts. A well-loved copy of The Art of) Tj
T* ( War by Sun Tzu sat on the shelf next to Homer's Ulysses, The Lord of) Tj
T* ( The Rings, The Hobbit, a few old Dungeons and Dragons books, works of) Tj
T* ( mythology from India and Egypt. The shelves did not contain a single) Tj
ET
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T* ( work of science fiction. Anthrax shaved his head. His mother may not) Tj
T* ( have been surprised by the conversion to Islam, but the head shaving) Tj
T* ( went a bit over the top.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax pursued NOI with the same vigour with which he attacked) Tj
T* ( hacking. He memorised whole speeches of Farrakhan and began speaking) Tj
T* ( like him, commenting casually on `those caucasian, blue-eyed devils'.) Tj
T* ( He quoted people he had discovered through NOI. People who described) Tj
T* ( the US Federal Reserve Bank as being controlled by Jews. People who) Tj
T* ( spoke of those hooked-nose, bagel-eating, just-crawled-out-of-a-cave) Tj
T* ( Jews. Anthrax denied the existence of the Holocaust.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You're shaping up to be quite a little Hitler,' his father told) Tj
T* ( Anthrax.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( His father disliked the NOI literature showing up at the house. It) Tj
T* ( seemed to frighten him. Receiving blueprints in the mail for) Tj
T* ( overthowing governments didn't sit well with the neighbours in the) Tj
T* ( quiet suburban street of the provincial town.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Watch out,' he warned his son. `Having these thing turn up in your) Tj
T* ( mailbox can be dangerous. It will probably earmark you for some sort) Tj
T* ( of investigation. They will follow you around.') Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The traffic raced. The ethernet cables attached to System X were a) Tj
T* ( regular speedway. People whizzed in and out of the mystery site like a) Tj
T* ( swarm of bees. In only twelve hours, the sniffer file topped 100 k.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Many of the connections went from System X to the major) Tj
T* ( telecommunications company. Anthrax headed in that direction.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He considered how to route the attack. He could go through a few) Tj
T* ( diverters and other leapfrog devices to cover his trail, thus hitting) Tj
T* ( the company's system from a completely separate source. The advantage) Tj
T* ( of this route was anonymity. If the admin managed to detect his entry,) Tj
T* ( Anthrax would only lose access to the phone company's system, not to) Tj
T* ( System X. Alternatively, if he went in to the company through the) Tj
T* ( gateway and System X, he risked alarms being raised at all three) Tj
T* ( sites. However, his sniffer showed so much traffic running on this) Tj
T* ( route, he might simply disappear in the flow. The established path was) Tj
T* ( obviously there for a reason. One more person logging into the gateway) Tj
T* ( through System X and then into the company's machine would not raise) Tj
T* ( suspicions. He chose to go through System X.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax logged into the company using a sniffed username and password.) Tj
T* ( Trying the load-module bug again, he got root on the system and) Tj
T* ( installed his own login patch. The company's system looked far more) Tj
T* ( normal than System X. A few hundred users. Lots of email, far too much) Tj
T* ( to read. He ran a few key word searches on all the email, trying to) Tj
T* ( piece together a better picture of the project being developed on) Tj
T* ( System X.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The company did plenty of defence work, mostly in telecommunications.) Tj
T* ( Different divisions of the company seemed to be working on different) Tj
T* ( segments of the project. Anthrax searched through people's home) Tj
T* ( directories, but nothing looked very interesting because he couldn't) Tj
T* ( get a handle on the whole project. People were all developing) Tj
T* ( different modules of the project and, without a centralised overview,) Tj
ET
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T* ( the pieces didn't mean much.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He did find a group of binary files--types of programs--but he had no) Tj
T* ( idea what they were for. The only real way to find out what they did) Tj
T* ( was to take them for a test drive. He ran a few binaries. They didn't) Tj
T* ( appear to do anything. He ran a few more. Again, nothing. He kept) Tj
T* ( running them, one after another. Still no results. All he received was) Tj
T* ( error messages.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The binaries seemed to need a monitor which could display graphics.) Tj
T* ( They used XII, a graphical display common on Unix systems. Anthrax's) Tj
T* ( inexpensive home computer didn't have that sort of graphical display) Tj
T* ( operating system. He could still run the binaries by telling System X) Tj
T* ( to run them on one of its local terminals, but he wouldn't be able to) Tj
T* ( see the output on his home computer. More importantly, it was a risky) Tj
T* ( course of action. What if someone happened to be sitting at the) Tj
T* ( terminal where he chose to run the binary? The game would be up.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He leaned away from his keyboard and stretched. Exhaustion was) Tj
T* ( beginning to set in. He hadn't slept in almost 48 hours. Occasionally,) Tj
T* ( he had left his computer terminal to eat, though he always brought the) Tj
T* ( food back to the screen. His mother popped her head in the doorway) Tj
T* ( once in a while and shook her head silently. When he noticed her) Tj
T* ( there, he tried to ease her concerns. `But I'm learning lots of) Tj
T* ( things,' he pleaded. She was not convinced.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He also broke his long hacking session to pray. It was important for a) Tj
T* ( devout Muslim to practice salat--to pray at least five times a day) Tj
T* ( depending on the branch of Islam followed by the devotee. Islam allows) Tj
T* ( followers to group some of their prayers, so Anthrax usually grouped) Tj
T* ( two in the morning, prayed once at midday as normal, and grouped two) Tj
T* ( more at night. An efficient way to meet religious obligations.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sometimes the time just slipped away, hacking all night. When the) Tj
T* ( first hint of dawn snuck up on him, he was invariably in the middle of) Tj
T* ( some exciting journey. But duty was duty, and it had to be done. So he) Tj
T* ( pressed control S to freeze his screen, unfurled the prayer mat with) Tj
T* ( its built-in compass, faced Mecca, knelt down and did two sets of) Tj
T* ( prayers before sunrise. Ten minutes later he rolled the prayer mat up,) Tj
T* ( slid back into his chair, typed control Q to release the pause on his) Tj
T* ( computer and picked up where he left off.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( This company's computer system seemed to confirm what he had begun to) Tj
T* ( suspect. System X was the first stage of a project, the rest of which) Tj
T* ( was under development. He found a number of tables and reports in) Tj
T* ( System X's files. The reports carried headers like `Traffic Analysis',) Tj
T* ( `calls in' and `calls out', `failure rate'. It all began to make sense) Tj
T* ( to Anthrax.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( System X called up each of the military telephone exchanges in that) Tj
T* ( list. It logged in using the computer-generated name and password.) Tj
T* ( Once inside, a program in System X polled the exchange for important) Tj
T* ( statistics, such as the number of calls coming in and out of the base.) Tj
T* ( This information was then stored on System X. Whenever someone wanted) Tj
T* ( a report on something, for example, the military sites with the most) Tj
T* ( incoming calls over the past 24 hours, he or she would simply ask) Tj
T* ( System X to compile the information. All of this was done) Tj
T* ( automatically.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax had read some email suggesting that changes to an exchange,) Tj
ET
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T* ( such as adding new telephone lines on the base, had been handled) Tj
T* ( manually, but this job was soon to be done automatically by System X.) Tj
T* ( It made sense. The maintenance time spent by humans would be cut) Tj
T* ( dramatically.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A machine which gathers statistics and services phone exchanges) Tj
T* ( remotely doesn't sound very sexy on the face of it, until you begin to) Tj
T* ( consider what you could do with something like that. You could sell it) Tj
T* ( to a foreign power interested in the level of activity at a certain) Tj
T* ( base at a particular time. And that is just the beginning.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( You could tap any unencrypted line going in or out of any of the 100) Tj
T* ( or so exchanges and listen in to sensitive military discussions. Just) Tj
T* ( a few commands makes you a fly on the wall of a general's conversation) Tj
T* ( to the head of a base in the Philippines. Anti-government rebels in) Tj
T* ( that country might pay a pretty penny for getting intelligence on the) Tj
T* ( US forces.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( All of those options paled next to the most striking power wielded by) Tj
T* ( a hacker who had unlimited access to System X and the 100 or so) Tj
T* ( telephone exchanges. He could take down that US military voice) Tj
T* ( communications system almost overnight, and he could do it) Tj
T* ( automatically. The potential for havoc creation was breathtaking. It) Tj
T* ( would be a small matter for a skilled programmer to alter the) Tj
T* ( automated program used by System X. Instead of using its dozen or more) Tj
T* ( modems to dial all the exchanges overnight and poll them for) Tj
T* ( statistics, System X could be instructed to call them overnight and) Tj
T* ( reprogram the exchanges.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What if every time General Colin Powell picked up his phone, he was be) Tj
T* ( automatically patched through to some Russian general's office? He) Tj
T* ( wouldn't be able to dial any other number from his office phone. He'd) Tj
T* ( pick up his phone to dial and there would be the Russian at the other) Tj
T* ( end. And what if every time someone called into the general's number,) Tj
T* ( they ended up talking to the stationery department? What if none of the) Tj
T* ( phone numbers connected to their proper telephones? No-one would be) Tj
T* ( able to reach one another. An important part of the US military machine) Tj
T* ( would be in utter disarray. Now, what if all this happened in the first) Tj
T* ( few days of a war? People trying to contact each other with vital) Tj
T* ( information wouldn't be able to use the telephone exchanges reprogrammed) Tj
T* ( by System X.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( THAT was power.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It wasn't like Anthrax screaming at his father until his voice turned) Tj
T* ( to a whisper, all for nothing. He could make people sit up and take) Tj
T* ( notice with this sort of power.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Hacking a system gave him a sense of control. Getting root on a system) Tj
T* ( always gave him an adrenalin rush for just that reason. It meant the) Tj
T* ( system was his, he could do whatever he wanted, he could run whatever) Tj
T* ( processes or programs he desired, he could remove other users he) Tj
T* ( didn't want using his system. He thought, I own the system. The word) Tj
T* ( `own' anchored the phrase which circled through his thoughts again and) Tj
T* ( again when he successfully hacked a system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The sense of ownership was almost passionate, rippled with streaks of) Tj
T* ( obsession and jealousy. At any given moment, Anthrax had a list of) Tj
T* ( systems he owned and that had captured his interest for that moment.) Tj
T* ( Anthrax hated seeing a system administrator logging onto one of those) Tj
ET
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T* ( systems. It was an invasion. It was as though Anthrax had just got) Tj
T* ( this woman he had been after for some time alone in a room with the) Tj
T* ( door closed. Then, just as he was getting to know her, this other guy) Tj
T* ( had barged in, sat down on the couch and started talking to her.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was never enough to look at a system from a distance and know he) Tj
T* ( could hack it if he wanted to. Anthrax had to actually hack the) Tj
T* ( system. He had to own it. He needed to see what was inside the system,) Tj
T* ( to know exactly what it was he owned.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The worst thing admins could do was to fiddle with system security.) Tj
T* ( That made Anthrax burn with anger. If Anthrax was on-line, silently) Tj
T* ( observing the admins' activities, he would feel a sudden urge to log) Tj
T* ( them off. He wanted to punish them. Wanted them to know he was into) Tj
T* ( their system. And yet, at the same time, he didn't want them to know.) Tj
T* ( Logging them off would draw attention to himself, but the two desires) Tj
T* ( pulled at him from opposite directions. What Anthrax really wanted was) Tj
T* ( for the admins to know he controlled their system, but for them not to) Tj
T* ( be able to do anything about it. He wanted them to be helpless.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax decided to keep undercover. But he contemplated the power of) Tj
T* ( having System X's list of telephone exchange dial-ups and their) Tj
T* ( username-password combinations. Normally, it would take days for a) Tj
T* ( single hacker with his lone modem to have much impact on the US) Tj
T* ( military's communications network. Sure, he could take down a few) Tj
T* ( exchanges before the military wised up and started protecting) Tj
T* ( themselves. It was like hacking a military computer. You could take) Tj
T* ( out a machine here, a system there. But the essence of the power of) Tj
T* ( System X was being able to use its own resources to orchestrate) Tj
T* ( widespread pandemonium quickly and quietly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax defines power as the potential for real world impact. At that) Tj
T* ( moment of discovery and realisation, the real world impact of hacking) Tj
T* ( System X looked good. The telecommunications company computer seemed) Tj
T* ( like a good place to hang up a sniffer, so he plugged one into the) Tj
T* ( machine and decided to return in a little while. Then he logged out) Tj
T* ( and went to bed.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When he revisited the sniffer a day or so later, Anthrax received a) Tj
T* ( rude shock. Scrolling through the sniffer file, he did a double take) Tj
T* ( on one of the entries. Someone had logged into the company's system) Tj
T* ( using his special login patch password.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He tried to stay calm. He thought hard. When was the last time he had) Tj
T* ( logged into the system using that special password? Could his sniffer) Tj
T* ( have logged himself on an earlier hacking session? It did happen) Tj
T* ( occasionally. Hackers sometimes gave themselves quite a fright. In the) Tj
T* ( seamless days and nights of hacking dozens of systems, it was easy to) Tj
T* ( forget the last time you logged into a particular system using the) Tj
T* ( special password. The more he thought, the more he was absolutely) Tj
T* ( sure. He hadn't logged into the system again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Which left the obvious question. Who had?) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sometimes Anthrax pranked, sometimes he punished. Punishment could be) Tj
T* ( severe or mild. Generally it was severe. And unlike pranking, it was) Tj
T* ( not done randomly.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Different things set him off. The librarian, for example. In early) Tj
T* ( 1993 Anthrax had enrolled in Asia-Pacific and Business Studies at a) Tj
T* ( university in a nearby regional city. Ever since he showed up on the) Tj
T* ( campus, he had been hassled by a student who worked part-time at the) Tj
T* ( university library. On more than one occasion, Anthrax had been) Tj
T* ( reading at a library table when a security guard came up and asked to) Tj
T* ( search his bags. And when Anthrax looked over his shoulder to the) Tj
T* ( check-out desk, that librarian was always there, the one with the bad) Tj
T* ( attitude smeared across his face.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The harassment became so noticeable, Anthrax's friends began) Tj
T* ( commenting on it. His bag would be hand-searched when he left the) Tj
T* ( library, while other students walked through the electronic security) Tj
T* ( boom gate unbothered. When he returned a book one day late, the) Tj
T* ( librarian--that librarian--insisted he pay all sorts of fines.) Tj
T* ( Anthrax's pleas of being a poor student fell on deaf ears. By the time) Tj
T* ( exam period rolled around at the end of term, Anthrax decided to) Tj
T* ( punish the librarian by taking down the library's entire computer) Tj
T* ( system.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Logging in to the library computer via modem from home, Anthrax) Tj
T* ( quickly gained root privileges. The system had security holes a mile) Tj
T* ( wide. Then, with one simple command, he deleted every file in the) Tj
T* ( computer. He knew the system would be backed up somewhere, but it) Tj
T* ( would take a day or two to get the system up and running again. In the) Tj
T* ( meantime, every loan or book search had to be conducted manually.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( During Anthrax's first year at university, even small incidents) Tj
T* ( provoked punishment. Cutting him off while he was driving, or swearing) Tj
T* ( at him on the road, fit the bill. Anthrax would memorise the licence) Tj
T* ( plate of the offending driver, then social engineer the driver's) Tj
T* ( personal details. Usually he called the police to report what appeared) Tj
T* ( to be a stolen car and then provided the licence plate number. Shortly) Tj
T* ( after, Anthrax tuned into to his police scanner, where he picked up) Tj
T* ( the driver's name and address as it was read over the airways to the) Tj
T* ( investigating police car. Anthrax wrote it all down.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then began the process of punishment. Posing as the driver, Anthrax rang) Tj
T* ( the driver's electricity company to arrange a power disconnection. The) Tj
T* ( next morning the driver might return home to find his electricity cut) Tj
T* ( off. The day after, his gas might be disconnected. Then his water. Then) Tj
T* ( his phone.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Some people warranted special punishment--people such as Bill. Anthrax) Tj
T* ( came across Bill on the Swedish Party Line, an English-speaking) Tj
T* ( telephone conference. For a time, Anthrax was a regular fixture on the) Tj
T* ( line, having attempted to call it by phreaking more than 2000 times) Tj
T* ( over just a few months. Of course, not all those attempts were) Tj
T* ( successful, but he managed to get through at least half the time. It) Tj
T* ( required quite an effort to keep a presence on the party line, since) Tj
T* ( it automatically cut people off after only ten minutes. Anthrax made) Tj
T* ( friends with the operators, who sometimes let him stay on-line a while) Tj
T* ( longer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Bill, a Swedish Party Line junkie, had recently been released from) Tj
T* ( prison, where he had served time for beating up a Vietnamese boy at a) Tj
T* ( railway station. He had a bad attitude and he often greeted the party) Tj
T* ( line by saying, `Are there any coons on the line today?' His attitude) Tj
T* ( to women wasn't much better. He relentlessly hit on the women who) Tj
T* ( frequented the line. One day, he made a mistake. He gave out his phone) Tj
ET
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T* ( number to a girl he was trying to pick up. The operator copied it down) Tj
T* ( and when her friend Anthrax came on later that day, she passed it on) Tj
T* ( to him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax spent a few weeks social engineering various people, including) Tj
T* ( utilities and relatives whose telephone numbers appeared on Bill's) Tj
T* ( phone accounts, to piece together the details of his life. Bill was a) Tj
T* ( rough old ex-con who owned a budgie and was dying of cancer. Anthrax) Tj
T* ( phoned Bill in the hospital and proceeded to tell him all sorts of) Tj
T* ( personal details about himself, the kind of details which upset a) Tj
T* ( person.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Not long after, Anthrax heard that Bill had died. The hacker felt as) Tj
T* ( though he had perhaps gone a bit too far.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( The tension at home had eased a little by the time Anthrax left to) Tj
T* ( attend university. But when he returned home during holidays he found) Tj
T* ( his father even more unbearable. More and more, Anthrax rebelled) Tj
T* ( against his father's sniping comments and violence. Eventually, he) Tj
T* ( vowed that the next time his father tried to break his arm he would) Tj
T* ( fight back. And he did.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( One day Anthrax's father began making bitter fun of his younger son's) Tj
T* ( stutter. Brimming with biting sarcasm, the father mimicked Anthrax's) Tj
T* ( brother.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Why are you doing that?' Anthrax yelled. The bait had worked once) Tj
T* ( again.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was as though he became possessed with a spirit not his own. He) Tj
T* ( yelled at his father, and put a fist into the wall. His father grabbed) Tj
T* ( a chair and thrust it forward to keep Anthrax at bay, then reached) Tj
T* ( back for the phone. Said he was calling the police. Anthrax ripped the) Tj
T* ( phone from the wall. He pursued his father through the house, smashing) Tj
T* ( furniture. Amid the crashing violence of the fight, Anthrax suddenly) Tj
T* ( felt a flash of fear for his mother's clock--a much loved, delicate) Tj
T* ( family heirloom. He gently picked it up and placed it out of harm's) Tj
T* ( way. Then he heaved the stereo into the air and threw it at his) Tj
T* ( father. The stereo cabinet followed in its wake. Wardrobes toppled) Tj
T* ( with a crash across the floor.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( When his father fled the house, Anthrax got a hold of himself and) Tj
T* ( began to look around. The place was a disaster area. All those things) Tj
T* ( so tenderly gathered and carefully treasured by his mother, the things) Tj
T* ( she had used to build her life in a foreign land of white people) Tj
T* ( speaking an alien tongue, lay in fragments scattered around the house.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax felt wretched. His mother was distraught at the destruction) Tj
T* ( and he was badly shaken by how much it upset her. He promised to try) Tj
T* ( and control his temper from that moment on. It proved to be a constant) Tj
T* ( battle. Mostly he would win, but not always. The battle still simmered) Tj
T* ( below the surface.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Sometimes it boiled over.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax considered the possibilities of who else would be using his) Tj
ET
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T* ( login patch. It could be another hacker, perhaps someone who was) Tj
T* ( running another sniffer that logged Anthrax's previous login. But it) Tj
T* ( was more likely to be a security admin. Meaning he had been found out.) Tj
T* ( Meaning that he might be being traced even as he leap-frogged through) Tj
T* ( System X to the telecommunications company's computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax made his way to the system admin's mailboxes. If the game was) Tj
T* ( up, chances were something in the mailbox would give it away.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( There it was. The evidence. They were onto him all right, and they) Tj
T* ( hadn't wasted any time. The admins had mailed CERT, the Computer) Tj
T* ( Emergency Response Team at Carnegie Mellon University, reporting a) Tj
T* ( security breach. CERT, the nemesis of every Internet hacker, was bound) Tj
T* ( to complicate matters. Law enforcement would no doubt be called in) Tj
T* ( now.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was time to get out of this system, but not before leaving in a) Tj
T* ( blaze of glory. A prank left as a small present.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( CERT had written back to the admins acknowledging the incident and) Tj
T* ( providing a case number. Posing as one of the admins, Anthrax drafted) Tj
T* ( a letter to CERT. To make the thing look official, he added the case) Tj
T* ( number `for reference'. The letter went something like this:) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `In regard to incident no. XXXXX, reported on this date, we have since) Tj
T* ( carried out some additional investigations on the matter. We have) Tj
T* ( discovered the security incident was caused by a disgruntled employee) Tj
T* ( who was fired for alcoholism and decided to retaliate against the) Tj
T* ( company in this manner.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `We have long had a problem with alcohol and drug abuse due to the) Tj
T* ( stressful nature of the company environment. No further investigation) Tj
T* ( is necessary.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( At his computer terminal, Anthrax smiled. How embarrassing was that) Tj
T* ( going to be? Try scraping that mud off. He felt very pleased with) Tj
T* ( himself.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax then tidied up his things in the company's computer, deleted) Tj
T* ( the sniffer and moved out.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Things began to move quickly after that. He logged into System X later) Tj
T* ( to check the sniffer records, only to find that someone had used his) Tj
T* ( login patch password on that system as well. He became very nervous.) Tj
T* ( It was one thing goofing around with a commercial site, and quite) Tj
T* ( another being tracked from a military computer.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( A new process had been added to System X, which Anthrax recognised. It) Tj
T* ( was called `-u'. He didn't know what it did, but he had seen it before) Tj
T* ( on military systems. About 24 hours after it appeared, he found) Tj
T* ( himself locked out of the system. He had tried killing off the -u) Tj
T* ( process before. It disappeared for a split-second and reappeared. Once) Tj
T* ( it was in place, there was no way to destroy it.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax also unearthed some alarming email. The admin at a site) Tj
T* ( upstream from both System X and the company's system had been sent a) Tj
T* ( warning letter: `We think there has been a security incident at your) Tj
T* ( site'. The circle was closing in on him. It was definitely time to get) Tj
T* ( the hell out. He packed up his things in a hurry. Killed off the) Tj
T* ( remaining sniffer. Moved his files. Removed the login patch. And) Tj
ET
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T* ( departed with considerable alacrity.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( After he cut his connection, Anthrax sat wondering about the admins.) Tj
T* ( If they knew he was into their systems, why did they leave the) Tj
T* ( sniffers up and running? He could understand leaving the login patch.) Tj
T* ( Maybe they wanted to track his movements, determine his motives, or) Tj
T* ( trace his connection. Killing the patch would have simply locked him) Tj
T* ( out of the only door the admins could watch. They wouldn't know if he) Tj
T* ( had other backdoors into their system. But the sniffer? It didn't make) Tj
T* ( any sense.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( It was possible that they simply hadn't seen the sniffer. Leaving it) Tj
T* ( there had been an oversight. But it was almost too glaring an error to) Tj
T* ( be a real possibility. If it was an error, it implied the admins) Tj
T* ( weren't actually monitoring the connections in and out of their) Tj
T* ( systems. If they had been watching the connections, they would) Tj
T* ( probably have seen the sniffer. But if they weren't monitoring the) Tj
T* ( connections, how on earth did they find out his special password for) Tj
T* ( the login patch? Like all passwords on the system, that one was) Tj
T* ( encrypted. There were only two ways to get that password. Monitor the) Tj
T* ( connection and sniff it, or break the encryption with a brute-force) Tj
T* ( attack.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Breaking the encryption would probably have taken millions of dollars) Tj
T* ( of computer time. He could pretty well rule that option out. That left) Tj
T* ( sniffing it, which would have alerted them to his own sniffer. Surely) Tj
T* ( they wouldn't have left his sniffer running on purpose. They must have) Tj
T* ( known he would learn they were watching him through his sniffer. The) Tj
T* ( whole thing was bizarre.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax thought about the admins who were chasing him. Thought about) Tj
T* ( their moves, their strategies. Wondered why. It was one of the) Tj
T* ( unsolved mysteries a hacker often faced--an unpleasant side of) Tj
T* ( hacking. Missing the answers to certain questions, the satisfaction of) Tj
T* ( a certain curiosity. Never being able to look over the fence at the) Tj
T* ( other side.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Chapter 11 -- The Prisoner's Dilemma) Tj
T* ( _________________________________________________________________) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Harrisburg Oh Harrisburg) Tj
T* ( The plant is melting down) Tj
T* ( The people out in Harrisbug) Tj
T* ( Are getting out of town) Tj
T* ( And when this stuff gets in) Tj
T* ( You cannot get it out ) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( -- from `Harrisburg', on Red Sails in the Sunset by Midnight Oil) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax thought he would never get caught. But in some strange way, he) Tj
T* ( also wanted to get caught. When he thought about being busted, he) Tj
T* ( found himself filled with a strange emotion--impatience. Bring on the) Tj
T* ( impending doom and be done with it. Or perhaps it was frustration at) Tj
T* ( how inept his opponents seemed to be. They kept losing his trail and) Tj
T* ( he was impatient with their incompetence. It was more fun outwitting a) Tj
T* ( worthy opponent.) Tj
ET
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T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Perhaps he didn't really want to be caught so much as tracked. Anthrax) Tj
T* ( liked the idea of the police tracking him, of the system) Tj
T* ( administrators pursuing him. He liked to follow the trail of their) Tj
T* ( investigations through other people's mail. He especially liked being) Tj
T* ( on-line, watching them trying to figure out where he was coming from.) Tj
T* ( He would cleverly take control of their computers in ways they) Tj
T* ( couldn't see. He watched every character they typed, every spelling) Tj
T* ( error, every mistyped command, each twist and turn taken in the vain) Tj
T* ( hope of catching him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He hadn't been caught back in early 1991, when it seemed everyone was) Tj
T* ( after him. In fact Anthrax nearly gave up hacking and phreaking) Tj
T* ( completely in that year after what he later called `The Fear of God') Tj
T* ( speech.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Late at night, on a university computer system, he bumped into another) Tj
T* ( hacker. It wasn't an entirely uncommon experience. Once in a while,) Tj
T* ( hackers recognised another of their kind. Strange connections to) Tj
T* ( strange places in the middle of the night. Inconsistencies in process) Tj
T* ( names and sizes. The clues were visible for those who knew how to find) Tj
T* ( them.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The two hackers danced around each other, trying to determine who the) Tj
T* ( other was without giving away too much information. Finally the) Tj
T* ( mystery hacker asked Anthrax, `Are you a disease which affects sheep?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax typed the simple answer back. `Yes.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The other hacker revealed himself as Prime Suspect, one of the) Tj
T* ( International Subversives. Anthrax recognised the name. He had seen) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect around on the BBSes, had read his postings. Before) Tj
T* ( Anthrax could get started on a friendly chat, the IS hacker jumped in) Tj
T* ( with an urgent warning.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( He had unearthed emails showing the Feds were closing in on Anthrax.) Tj
T* ( The mail, obtained from system admins at Miden Pacific, described the) Tj
T* ( systems Anthrax had been visiting. It showed the phone connections he) Tj
T* ( had been using to get to them, some of which Telecom had traced back) Tj
T* ( to his phone. One of the admins had written, `We're on to him. I feel) Tj
T* ( really bad. He's seventeen years old and they are going to bust him) Tj
T* ( and ruin his life.' Anthrax felt a cold chill run down his spine.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Prime Suspect continued with the story. When he first came across the) Tj
T* ( email, he thought it referred to himself. The two hackers were the) Tj
T* ( same age and had evidently been breaking into the same systems. Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect had freaked out over the mail. He took it back to the other) Tj
T* ( two IS hackers, and they talked it through. Most of the description) Tj
T* ( fitted, but a few of the details didn't seem to make sense. Prime) Tj
T* ( Suspect wasn't calling from a country exchange. The more they worked) Tj
T* ( it through, the clearer it became that the email must have been) Tj
T* ( referring to someone else. They ran through the list of other options) Tj
T* ( and Anthrax's name came up as a possibility. The IS hackers had all) Tj
T* ( seen him around a few systems and BBSes. Trax had even spoken to him) Tj
T* ( once on a conference call with another phreaker. They pieced together) Tj
T* ( what they knew of him and the picture fitted. The AFP were onto) Tj
T* ( Anthrax and they seemed to know a lot about him. They had traced his) Tj
T* ( telephone connection back to his house. They knew his age, which) Tj
T* ( implied they knew his name. The phone bills were in his parents') Tj
T* ( names, so there may have been some personal surveillance of him. The) Tj
ET
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T* ( Feds were so close they were all but treading on his heels. The IS) Tj
T* ( hackers had been keeping an eye out for him, to warn him, but this was) Tj
T* ( the first time they had found him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax thanked Prime Suspect and got out of the system. He sat frozen) Tj
T* ( in the night stillness. It was one thing to contemplate getting caught,) Tj
T* ( to carry mixed emotions on the hypothetical situation. It was another to) Tj
T* ( have the real prospect staring you in the face. In the morning, he) Tj
T* ( gathered up all his hacking papers, notes, manuals--everything. Three) Tj
T* ( trunks' worth of material. He carried it all to the back garden, lit a) Tj
T* ( bonfire and watched it burn. He vowed to give up hacking forever.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( And he did give it up, for a time. But a few months later he somehow) Tj
T* ( found himself back in front of his computer screen, with his modem) Tj
T* ( purring. It was so tempting, so hard to let go. The police had never) Tj
T* ( shown up. Months had come and gone, still nothing. Prime Suspect must) Tj
T* ( have been wrong. Perhaps the AFP were after another hacker entirely.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then, in October 1991, the AFP busted Prime Suspect, Mendax and Trax.) Tj
T* ( But Anthrax continued to hack, mostly on his own as usual, for another) Tj
T* ( two years. He reminded himself that the IS hackers worked in a team.) Tj
T* ( If the police hadn't nailed him when they busted the others, surely) Tj
T* ( they would never find him now. Further, he had become more skilled as) Tj
T* ( a hacker, better at covering his tracks, less likely to draw attention) Tj
T* ( to himself. He had other rationalisations too. The town where he lived) Tj
T* ( was so far away, the police would never bother travelling all the way) Tj
T* ( into the bush. The elusive Anthrax would remain at large forever, the) Tj
T* ( unvanquished Ned Kelly of the computer underground.) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( [ ]) Tj
T* () Tj
T* ( Mundane matters were on Anthrax's mind on the morning of 14 July 1994.) Tj
T* ( The removalists were due to arrive to take things from the half-empty) Tj
T* ( apartment he had shared with another student. His room-mate had) Tj
T* ( already departed and the place was a clutter of boxes stuffed with) Tj
T* ( clothes, tapes and books.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax sat in bed half-asleep, half-watching the `Today' show when he) Tj
T* ( heard the sound of a large vehicle pulling up outside. He looked out) Tj
T* ( the window expecting to see the removalists. What he saw instead was) Tj
T* ( at least four men in casual clothes running toward the house.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( They were a little too enthusiastic for removalists and they split up) Tj
T* ( before getting to the door, with two men forking off toward opposite) Tj
T* ( sides of the building. One headed for the car port. Another dove) Tj
T* ( around the other side of the building. A third banged on the front) Tj
T* ( door. Anthrax shook himself awake.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The short, stocky guy at the front door was a worry. He had puffy,) Tj
T* ( longish hair and was wearing a sweatshirt and acid-wash jeans so tight) Tj
T* ( you could count the change in his back pocket. Bad ideas raced through) Tj
T* ( Anthrax's head. It looked like a home invasion. Thugs were going to) Tj
T* ( break into his home, tie him up and terrorise him before stealing all) Tj
T* ( his valuables.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Open up. Open up,' the stocky one shouted, flashing a police badge.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Stunned, and still uncomprehending, Anthrax opened the door. `Do you) Tj
T* ( know who WE are?' the stocky one asked him.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
ET
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T* ( Anthrax looked confused. No. Not sure.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `The Australian Federal Police.' The cop proceeded to read out the) Tj
T* ( search warrant.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( What happened from this point forward is a matter of some debate. What) Tj
T* ( is fact is that the events of the raid and what) Tj
T* ( followed formed the basis of a formal complaint by Anthrax to the) Tj
T* ( Office of the Ombudsman and an internal investigation within the AFP.) Tj
T* ( The following is simply Anthrax's account of how it happened.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The stocky one barked at Anthrax, `Where's your computer?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `What computer?' Anthrax looked blankly at the officer. He didn't have) Tj
T* ( a computer at his apartment. He used the uni's machines or friend's) Tj
T* ( computers.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Your computer. Where is it? Which one of your friends has it?') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `No-one has it. I don't own one.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Well, when you decide to tell us where it is, you let us know.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Yeah. Right. If Anthrax did have a hidden computer at uni, revealing) Tj
T* ( its location wasn't top of the must-do list.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( The police pawed through his personal letters, quizzed Anthrax about) Tj
T* ( them. Who wrote this letter? Is he in the computer underground? What's) Tj
T* ( his address?) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax said `no comment' more times than he could count. He saw a few) Tj
T* ( police moving into his bedroom and decided it was time to watch them) Tj
T* ( closely, make sure nothing was planted. He stood up to follow them in) Tj
T* ( and observe the search when one of the cops stopped him. Anthrax told) Tj
T* ( them he wanted a lawyer. One of the police looked on with disapproval.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `You must be guilty,' he told Anthrax. `Only guilty people ask for) Tj
T* ( lawyers. And here I was feeling sorry for you.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Then one of the other officers dropped the bomb. `You know,' he began) Tj
T* ( casually, `we're also raiding your parents' house ...') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( Anthrax freaked out. His mum would be hysterical. He asked to call his) Tj
T* ( mother on his mobile, the only phone then working in the apartment.) Tj
T* ( The police refused to let him touch his mobile. Then he asked to call) Tj
T* ( her from the pay phone across the street. The police refused again.) Tj
T* ( One of the officers, a tall, lanky cop, recognised a leverage point if) Tj
T* ( ever he saw one. He spread the guilt on thick.) Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( `Your poor sick mum. How could you do this to your poor sick mum?) Tj
T* ( We're going to have to take her to Melbourne for questioning, maybe) Tj
T* ( even to charge her, arrest her, take her to jail. You make me sick. I) Tj
T* ( feel sorry for a mother having a son like you who is going to cause) Tj
T* ( her all this trouble.') Tj
T* ( ) Tj
T* ( From that moment on, the tall officer took every opportunity to talk) Tj
T* ( about Anthrax's `poor sick mum'. He wouldn't let up. Not that he) Tj
T* ( probably knew the first thing about scleroderma, the creeping fatal) Tj
T* ( disease which affected her. Anthrax often thought about